


The Events To Come

by anpara



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben Solo - Freeform, DYAD, F/M, Force Bond, Jedi, Padawan, Star Wars - Freeform, Training Temple, Youngling, force connection, lukes jedi temple, master - Freeform, two that are one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:54:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 29,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25213501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anpara/pseuds/anpara
Summary: Jedi Training AU: Luke and Ben find Rey when she is young and start training her.
Relationships: Luke Skywalker & Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 24
Kudos: 52





	1. Journey To Jakku

It was not a particularly long trip. Just one lightspeed jump away. Each week, Luke takes a different student with him, this week it was Ben’s turn. Although, Ben was reluctant to go, he obeyed his master and trudged onto the ship. The ride was mostly silent as Ben sulked in the seat next to Luke. Ben would have much rather stayed back at the temple and practiced his saber sparing with the others, but instead he is stuck, headed to some desert planet to hunt down another whiny Force sensitive child who does not want to leave their family. 

They drop out of hyperspace and the planet of Jakku appears before them. 

“It already looks dusty.” Ben spits as he crosses his arms. 

“Hey kid, not everyone gets to grow up on a nice green planet like you did.” Luke counters, remembering his own childhood on the desert planet of Tatooine. 

Ben scoffs as he rests his feet on the console in front of him. Luke force pushes his feet off and they hit the floor with a loud thud. Ben rolls his eyes and wanders out of the cockpit to prepare his and Luke’s gear packs. Each bag was equipped with water bottle latches, snack packs, a flashlight, and some other various multiuse items. Luke liked to travel light on these trips, said “they never knew what they would be taking back with them” whatever that means. Ben sighs as he hooks the bottles onto their respective packs. He feels the ship being the landing process and quickly slips a blaster out from a small side compartment in his bag and into the right side of his robes, opposite his lightsaber. Luke never likes when he carries a blaster, he always says “Ben, your lightsaber is your life now. This needs to be protected, more so than any blaster.” He can hear the tones of disappointment in Luke’s voice, even in his head, and it haunts him, daily. Ben never wanted this life. He did not choose to be Force sensitive, to be a Jedi, to go on these stupid missions, none of this was his choice. _What 16-year-old is not allowed to make their own choices?_ He heaves another heavy sigh as he rises from the floor, sensing his masters impending presence. Soon enough Luke appears at the door. 

“Alright, are we all set?” He says with the slightest tone of excitement in his voice. 

Ben isn’t sure why his uncle is always so thrilled about these trips. For Ben, all these things meant were that they would be these two random strangers, ripping children from their family, from their homes, from the only place they’ve ever known, to train with a bunch of other emotional, unstable, untrained Force wielding, _children_. It disgusts him. At least the old Jedi Order took kids from their families at basically infancy. They did not even know their families, so they would never miss them, never had the chance to create attachments. Ben is jealous of the Old Republic and the Jedi Order that existed with it. 

Luke and Ben shuffle off their ship and the heat hits Ben in the face like a thousand suns. It is dry, drier than any planet he has ever been on. Nothing to see but sand for miles. Virtually no water in sight, and he is already feeling thirsty. As they begin to walk, he can sense through The Force a small well of water, perhaps for creatures to quench their thirst after long days of travel. They walk for what feels like miles, in silence, before they reach Niima Outpost, a _literal_ junkyard. Ben rolls his eyes at the sight of it. Luke, who walks a few steps in front of him stop and turns around.

“Ben, please mind your face. We do not want to attract more attention than we need to.” Luke says calmly. His tone almost never changes. He is matter of fact about most things really. 

“Yes Master.” Ben grumbles as he readjusts his pack to hide the fact that he is really just checking to make sure his blaster is secured under his robes. 

They trek passed a few junk stands. Everyone on this planet looks dirty. Like they have not had a shower in months, maybe years. Dust and dirt just seem to be a part of their skin now. They approach one trading stand, home to a particularly ugly creature, Unkar Plutt. Ben can overhear his conversations with others trying to trade in mechanical parts for food. Ben sees the value of the items those wishing to trade and knows that Plutt is grossly underpricing them. Power converters, in practically perfect condition, and this _thing_ is only gifting these people with half portions, quarter portions. It’s disgusting. These people are starving and this poor excuse for a life form is ripping them off. Ben feels the anger build inside of him, feels his eyes begin to burn into the skin of Plutt, feels his rage as he begins to reach for his blaster, ready to save all of these people from this asshole that mistreats them. He feels the anger begin to consume him as it so often does. He takes a deep breath, almost choking on the dry air. He closes his eyes, slowly releases his breath, imagining the rising and falling of the tide of the Silver Sea from his home planet of Chandrilla. He breathes out his anger and refocuses. 

Luke has made his way up to the front of the line, Jedi mind trick style of course, which Ben appreciated. At least being a Jedi gave him the power to practically control those weak minded around him. The feeling it gave him of control only fed his power. Plus, in this particular scenario, it meant the sooner they find this bratty kid, the sooner they can get off this dry dusty disgrace of a planet. As Ben continued to observe the counter of this particular stand and its surroundings, things began to appear strangely familiar. Only small items stood out, a random scrap of metal, a glass jar hanging from a woven rope. It’s as if he had maybe seen them in a dream. Just as he turned, an imagine flashes quickly in his mind of an old battered up Empire AT-AT, laying on the sand. His parents had told him about these machines as a kid, never thought they would still exist somewhere, especially somewhere like _this_. For a split second he sees a small shadow appear outside of the machine. He cannot make out the image, all he sees are 3 little twisted hair buns and…the sound of Luke speaking interrupts Ben’s vision. 

“I’m looking for a young girl.” Luke speaks calmly to Plutt. Ben knows he does not deserve the respect his uncle is showing him. “I have reason to believe she is under your care.”

Plutt scoffs at him and spit expectorates out of his mouth. “Even if I did know what you were talking about, what’s it to you?” He leans over the counter and stares down at Luke, who appears unphased by Plutt’s hideous appearance. 

“I’d like to see the girl.” Luke says directly. An order. Ben knows just what his uncle Luke is doing. 

“I already told you I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He spits, “Unless you got something to replace her with.” He looks over at Ben. “How about a trade, hmm? A girl for that scrawny kid over there.” Plutt laughs and Ben feels the rage growing inside him again. 

Luke motions over for Ben to step forward. They exchange a particular look and Ben knows exactly what to do. 

“I’d like to see the girl.” Ben repeats, his tone is firm. 

“Listen kid, I already told the old man, you’re never going to see that girl!” He slams his hand down on the counter. Ben instinctively grabs him by the neck of his grimy shirt. He feels Luke’s disapproval of his display of emotion. 

“I said, _I would like to see the girl_.” This time his tone is harsh and powerful. Causing Plutt to have a miraculous change of heart. Ben reluctantly releases the shirt from his grasp. 

“Oh, you want to see the girl. She should be about 5 miles West of her, at least that’s where I left her last.” He laughs. “I don’t keep track of her like that. She ain’t that kind of important to me.” Ben feels his hate for this _thing_ grow again as he and Luke turn away, leaving Plutt to continue his scamming. 

_She ain’t that kind of important to me_. Ben is not sure why that comment bothered him so much. From what Luke was told, Plutt was the one who took care of her, or at least that’s what Ben thought. As they walked in silence again through the sun and heat, Ben begins to believe Plutt was not a caretaker at all. He seemed more like an abusive slave driver. Was the child they were going to find _a slave_? Ben thinks of the possibility. There are most definitely pros and cons to this situation, if it is to be the case. Pro, he thinks, she surely has no attachments to this awful place. Con, there’s always two kinds of slaves, the ones that obey and the ones that-

His thoughts are interrupted by Luke, again. “Do you see that? Or are my old eyes playing tricks on me?” He is pointing in the distance, about a mile away. The shape of…something, lays against the image of never-ending sand. Luke turns to Ben, “Seems like a good sign, huh kid?” He smiles. 

“I guess so.” Ben shrugs as they continue walking.

As they grow closer, Ben’s eyes widen. He sees now what the shadow was that they saw from a distance. An old, battered up, AT-AT. He wonders why The Force had chosen to show him this place while he was at Niima Outpost. Ben is walking feverishly now toward the machine and is ahead of Luke by quite a bit. He looks to his left, nothing but sand, although, something about that particular sand dune was looking oddly familiar. He pans around, in fact, this all looks familiar, and Ben is sure the heat has gotten to him. He unclips his water bottle and takes a large gulp while Luke catches up to him. 

“What’s the hurry?” He questions Ben.

Ben, still confused about why he feels he has been here before, stares at Luke. “The faster we get this kid, the faster we get off this bucket of sand.” 

“Hmm.” Luke responds vaguely, as if questioning Ben’s answer. They are standing but a few feet away from the AT-AT now. “Do you feel anything?”

Ben pauses, reaches out in The Force around him. “No.” He says flatly.

“Let’s go check this place out. This has got to be it, there’s nothing else for miles.” 

They trudge through the sand toward the belly of the beast. There they find a small opening in the metal bottom. Luke pops his head inside, “Helloooo.” He says. Ben can feel the vibrations pass through the metal and fall dull on the sand. “Don’t think anyone is home.” 

“Home?” Ben questions. “Are you going to tell me someone lives here? In this thing? All the way out here?” The idea is outlandish. How could anyone survive like this?

“See for yourself.” Luke moves aside and lets Ben peek into the interior of the machine. Luke was in fact right; it was clearly _someone’s_ home. Metal ship parts scattered around on the floor. One blanket and some type of makeshift pillow lay on the ground. It looks as if someone has built some shelving of some kind, although it appears to be empty with the exception of a small bowl. What strikes Ben the most is what he views on the wall. A couple hundred small markings scratched into the metal. Ben wonders what they mean. Luke pushes passed him and sits down on the floor.

“What are you doing?” Ben questions his actions. They seem intrusive.

“It’s hot out there, a little shade will do us both some good.” He closes his eyes to begin meditation, as he so often did. “Sit Ben, meditate on the events to come.” 

Ben rolls his eyes as he plops down on the floor next to his uncle. However, he does not close his eyes. He continues to look around the small space. Nothing in particular catches his eye, so he gives in and begins to meditate as well. He reaches out to feel the lifeforce around them. He feels his uncle, of course, his presence is hard to ignore. He feels something else though, something familiar. This place felt hauntingly familiar. He could sense The Force strongly within the walls of it. He almost felt as if he was feeling his _own_ presence in The Force. He shakes the idea, highly unlikely. He can feel The Force _within_ himself, yes, but not _outside_ of himself. Their meditation is broken by a small voice.

“Wh-who are you?”


	2. Rey's Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’ve done a great deal of waiting, little one, I can see it hurts you. As a Jedi, I can teach you to let go of that pain, and to be at peace within yourself. As a Jedi, you will find peace in what is, not what was.” Luke speaks calmly at her side. Her little tear-filled eyes look up at him with a mix of sadness and disbelief.

A small pair of hazel eyes peer around the corner of the doorway as a petite set of fingers grip the edge of the entrance. 

“Hello little one.” Luke says rising from the ground with ease. He begins to walk toward the child, but she slips out of view and disappears outside. 

Ben is still sitting on the ground. He is struck with the feeling of The Force that is surrounding him. Luke motions for him to rise and follow him outside. Ben obeys and stands slowly, feeling uneasy on his own feet. He feels a small tingle of… _fear_? He watches as Luke pokes his head outside the doorway. 

“It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you.” Ben watches as he slowly extends a hand out, still having the lower half of his body inside the AT-AT. “That’s it.” Luke begins to step back inside slowly revealing the full nature of the tiny figure. 

She was young, maybe 7, Ben thinks. Her clothes are torn and dirty, they remind Ben of rags he would use to clean the floor of his room back home at the Temple. Her hair, styled in three small buns at the back of her head, is matted and dusty from sandstorms. She looks like has not had a proper meal in a very long time, or every for that matter. Considering this place that seems to be her home, Ben is quite sure this child has never had anything except those stingy quarter portions Plutt was giving out, and that is not even real food to begin with. Her tiny hand looks doll like in Luke’s. Ben notices her fingernails are stained with dirt and grime. Small cuts in multiple stages of healing scatter around her knuckles. His eyesight moves up her arm, where he sees a variety of cuts and bruises. His eyes settle on her face. Her big eyes are a mix of brown and green with small specs of gold peek through every so often. Her tiny face is spotted with freckles from the sun. She is staring at Luke, who has gotten down on his knee to be at her eye level. She allows a soft smile to creep onto her lips. Luke returns the smile. 

Something about this child’s demeanor feels familiar to Ben. He feels how The Force flows within her like a raging pulse. Her hazel eyes quickly flicker up to the side and catch Ben off guard. Their eyes lock and he feels his heart stop beating. They both stay like that for a moment, staring at one another, neither speak. Luke turns to look at Ben, who is frozen, and then back to the child, who’s nervous expression has suddenly been wiped clean from her face and replaced by one of peace. Luke feels her tiny hand slip from his as she moves swiftly to where Ben stands behind him. She stands at about the height of Ben’s mid-thigh. Ben looks down at her and she cocks her head to the side in confusion and awe. She extends her hand to his side where his fingers lay motionless. She gently wraps her tiny hand around his and Ben is transported to another place within his mind. He sees a dark menacing looking ship, massive like one he has never seen before. It bears an emblem unfamiliar to him. The scene shifts and he is now back at Luke’ Temple. There, he sees the girl running through a field of grass. She spins as the sun beats down on her. He watches the breeze brush against her freckled skin and her hair flows freely in wind. The child turns and smiles at him, calling his name, but without warning the image shifts once more. The sunshine that once filled his mind is consumed with darkness. He stands in a place he has never seen. Lightning strikes at a near distance to reveal a small figure cloaked in dark robes. Another lightning strike brings Ben closer to the small creature, only to reveal that it is not a creature at all. Under the brim of the black hood, Ben can make out the outline of the small child’s face. Her once joy filled hazel eyes look up at him, twisted by the Dark Side. Ben falls backwards onto the ground in shock. Another lightning strike. The figure is taller now, the size of a woman. She is standing over him, still hidden mostly by her black cloak. She cocks her head to the side.

“What’s the matter Ben? You don’t recognize me?” The woman releases a deep-toned laugh, like a mix of woman and beast. 

Before Ben can understand what has happened, he is back standing in the hot AT-AT with Luke and this girl. Her hands now, to herself, fumbling with the hem of her rags. He looks over at Luke who is now standing at the girl’s side. He gives him a “we are going to talk about this later” kind of look and Ben feels a pit grow at the bottom of his stomach. Luke moves the girl away from Ben and he feels a weird sense of relief to be at a distance from her. 

“So, you got a name kid?” Luke says light heartedly as he sits himself back on the floor. The girl follows and places herself down on the small bed she has created. She mimics Luke and sits cross legged.

“Rey.” She says softly smoothing out the blanket she sits on. 

“That’s a nice name. My name is Luke.” He smiles at her and she looks up to return the smile. “Where’s your family Rey?”

Her expression changes instantly. It grows dark. Her eyes fill with sorrow. “I…I don’t know.” She looks embarrassed. 

“That’s okay,” Luke explains grabbing her tiny hand in his. “You don’t have to know.” She releases a soft smile of relief. “You live here all alone?” She gives a small nod. 

Ben takes another looks around the…home. He begins to notice other small items the child had collected. Some random mechanic tools, a small knife, a tiny doll dressed in an orange jumpsuit like that of the Rebel Alliance his family told stories about when he was young. Next to the doll sits an old sand worn pilot helmet stamped with the symbol of the Rebellion. He wonders how this piece of history fell into the hands of this small girl. 

“How would you like to come and live with me and Ben,” He motions to Ben who is standing behind him, “and a bunch of other special kids just like you?” Luke uses his voice in a tone that makes the Temple life sound exciting and Ben, who thankfully has his back turned to them, rolls his eyes heavily. 

“Special?” He hears the girl say, louder than he has heard her speak this whole encounter. Ben turns and he sees a flicker of light in her eyes.

“Yes Rey, you are very special. Did you know that?” Luke continues with his voice of enthusiasm. The girl shakes her head at him. “Rey, have you ever made things happen that you could not explain?” 

Her eyes widen, “Yes!” She breathes. “I got really angry this one time because I was bringing these really good ship parts to Plutt and this stupid Teedo comes and just swipes them right up out of my carrier. I reached to try and grab them, but he was already too far, except something happened.” She stops and looks down at her hands, then back up at Luke. “I was reaching my hand out like this,” She extends her arm in front of her, “and I guess I had my eyes closed but when I opened them, a small piece of a metal console was in my hand.” Ben and Luke exchange a look and Luke nods at him.

“That’s something Ben and I call, The Force.” Luke makes it sound magical, _you know to entice the kids into leaving their homes_ , Ben thinks as he turns back around the wall with lines scratched into it. 

“The Force?” She says inquisitively.

“Yes, The Force is an energy created by life that binds the galaxy together.” _Luke really knows how to sell it_ , Ben thinks. 

“Whoa, the entire galaxy?!” She responds with wonder in her voice as she stand from her bed. “I have that?” She places her right hand on her heart. “Me?” Luke nods and takes her free hand.

“You do, little one. So do many others! If you want, I can take you to my Temple and train you to use The Force.”

“Temple?” Rey questions. Her question makes Ben aware that this child has probably never seen anything but sand and the Niima Outpost. 

“Yes, a temple is like a really big house. You would have a nice bed and as many blankets as you want!” Luke smiles as he rises from the floor. “Would you like that?” Rey nods excitedly at first, but a wave of reality washes over her face. 

“I-I can’t leave.” She sits back down on the floor. “I have to stay here. I’m waiting for someone.” Ben, who is tracing the lines on the wall stops and turns on his heels to look at the girl.

“Is that what these lines are?!” He exclaims in disbelief. There are hundreds of scratches spanning across the wall. “You can’t seriously believe whoever you’re waiting for is going to come back! I mean look all of this! You’re practically running out of space!”

She stands a look of pure rage fills her eyes as she screams, “It’s none of your business!! I will wait as long as I have to for them! I know they are going to come back for me!” Her small voice echoes against the metal so much so that it stings Ben’s ears and he winces from the pain. Luke places his hand on her shoulder and she relaxes slightly. 

“You’ve done a great deal of waiting, little one, I can see it hurts you. As a Jedi, I can teach you to let go of that pain, and to be at peace within yourself. As a Jedi, you will find peace in what _is_ , not what _was_.” Luke speaks calmly at her side. Her little tear-filled eyes look up at him with a mix of sadness and disbelief.

“You can do that?” She says wiping a tear off her cheek. Ben suddenly wishes he was kneeling at her side, wiping her tears away. 

“Only _you_ have the power to control your feeling, young one. I am merely a guide for you.” He smiles at her from above, then kneels down at her level, “So what do you think? Would you like to come with Ben and I to The Temple?”

“I think…” Ben can sense the conflict in her. She is being torn between her home, the only place she has ever known, and the idea of something she is not even old enough to comprehend. Her hurt reflects in him as he recalls the day he was taken from his home and family. That was nearly 6 years ago now. Her words break his train of thought. “Okay.” She says reluctantly. 

Luke lifts her hand in his and smiles. “Everything is going to be okay, little one. Let’s pack your things.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
> Let me know what you think! :)


	3. The Temple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They walk off the ship and are greeted by the scent of fresh grass and cool ocean air. Ben continues walking toward the Temple, only to realize Rey has stopped at the edge of the ramp. She drops her bag at her side and bends down. Her fingers comb through the lush green grass of the planet. She has never felt anything so wonderful. 

With a small bag in tow, Rey follows Ben and Luke up the ramp of the ship. She pauses for a moment and turns back to look at her home. It is the only place she has ever known. Jakku is who she is. It is all she can remember. A hot breeze blows sand across her face. She is unsure if she will miss this desert planet. Rey grips her bag tightly on her shoulder and turns back to continue up the ramp. To her surprise, Ben was standing at the top, watching her. Rey looked at him in awe as she walked forward. When she first saw him standing in her home, she thought she was dreaming. He looked strikingly familiar to the angel in her dreams. Well, more like dream, singular, but reoccurring. Almost every night she slept gave way to the dream of a boy with raven dark hair, honey eyes, and strategically placed moles on his face. The dream was simple but comforting. It always started the same, with her running through a big open space filled with soft green grass. The sun was shining, but not in the same way the sun shines on Jakku. These sun’s rays were soft and gentle on her skin. She would feel a light breeze blow through her hair and as she turned, her eyes would be greeted by those of a boy with raven colored hair. Then, as quickly as it began, the dream would end. 

Rey carefully walks past Ben at the top of the ramp. He has a strange look on his face as she crosses his path, and his robes flow as she brushes against them by accident. He does not speak, but simply presses a button causing the ramp opening to collapse, sealing off Rey from Jakku for good. She watches him, he watches her watch him, neither say a word. Ben moves quickly passed her and mumbles “Come on”. She hastens to follow him, dropping her bag in the corner where he has thrown his. They make their way to the cockpit where Luke has already fired up the engine. Ben takes his seat in the copilot chair and Rey sits behind him. She has never been in a real working ship before, and her eyes light up with the various colors that surround her. She always wanted to fly a ship. Whenever she came across one abandoned on the sand dunes, she would climb in, sit in the pilot’s seat gleefully pressing buttons and pretending she was among the stars. 

Rey feels the roar of the engine as they begin their ascend. She looks out on Jakku one last time and feels a small bit of regret that almost makes her shout for Luke to stop and take her back, but she resists the urge and turns her vision elsewhere. She looks forward, at Ben, who’s ears, she is just now noticing, are quite large. They poke out from under his black hair and she giggles softly to herself. He also is sporting a braid that extends from the right side of the nape of his neck.

“What’s this for?” She reaches forward and tugs on the braid.

“Hey! Ow!” Ben shouts at her as he turns around. “What was that for?”

“I was only asking what it was for!” Rey states back angerly.

“It’s none of your business, kid!” He says annoyed as he turns around scratching his neck.

“Well I just thought braids were for girls. Are you a girl?” She smirks teasing him, causing him to turn in his seat once more.

“No I’m not a girl! What kind of-” Luke cuts off Ben’s angry comment.

“Play nice kids.” He says as they exit the atmosphere of Jakku.

Rey’s vision focuses back on what is outside the window. Stars. Billions of them, some familiar that she was able to see from her home, but a vast amount more than she could even begin to believe existed. Ben watches her. Her little mouth hanging open in disbelief at the sight in front of her eyes. 

“They’re called stars.” Ben states teasingly.

“I know what they are!” She slaps his arm that rests on the top of his seat.

“If you think this is cool, wait til you see this.” Luke says looking back at her before turning to push a lever forward. Suddenly the ship blasts forward, the stars melting and blending together. They create thick lines of blue and white around them.

“Whoooa…” Rey breathes, standing from her seat and moving forward between Ben and Luke. “What is this?” She leans her elbows on and empty section of the console and places her hands on her face, continuing to admire the beauty outside.

“It’s called hyperspace.” Luke explains “It allows us to travel through space really fast so we can get where we want to go quickly, even if it’s on the other side of the galaxy.” 

Rey turns to him, eyes lit up with childish joy and wonder. “I wanna see this every day.”

Ben laughs and she snaps her head back at him with a look a rage the level of a full-grown woman. “Shut up, Braid!” She spits coldly. Ben prepares a rebuttal but catches Luke’s eye before he has a chance to say anything.

“Rey, Ben’s braid is a symbol of a Jedi Padawan. It shows his rank in the Jedi Order.” Luke explains.

Rey turns back to Luke. “Um…Luke?”

“Yes, little one?”

“What’s a Jedi?” She asks. Ben grumbles and sinks into his seat, pulling the hood of his robes over his head. Luke just laughs.

“That’s a very good question, Rey. A Jedi a special person, like yourself, who studies the ways of The Force and learns to master it. A Jedi uses The Force to help protect others. There are different levels of Jedi. Ben is a Jedi Padawan,” He references Ben who has crossed his arms, “And I am a Jedi Master.” He references himself. Rey nods her head in understanding. “When we get to the Temple you will call me Master Luke, and I will be your teacher.”

“Okay.” Rey says understanding as she moves back passed Ben and into her seat. 

***

Some time passes. Rey has fallen asleep on a bed unit in the main cabin while Ben and Luke continue to pilot the ship out of hyperspace. 

“Ben,” Luke begins, and Ben is already sure he knows what his Master is about to ask him. “What happened when Rey touched your hand?”

Ben flips a few switches on the console in front of him, not making eye contact with his uncle. “What do you mean?” He says nonchalantly, trying to avoid the conversation.

“Ben.” Luke sounds stern and Ben looks up. “Tell me what you saw.”

Ben huffs, knowing there’s no way to escape telling his Master. “I saw…” He pauses collecting his thoughts on how to describe his vision. “I saw a ship, not one I know though. Then I saw The Temple grounds, Rey was there, enjoy the grass…it looked like the first time she had ever seen grass.” He pauses, contemplating his own words. “Then…everything went black and I was somewhere unfamiliar. Rey was there too, but she was different…” Ben’s voice trails off.

“Different how, Ben?” Luke urges him to continue, eager to know the full extent of Ben’s vision. Luke always gets his way. 

“She was in these black robes that covered her face, except I still knew it was her, I could feel her force presence, except…” He pauses again and Luke gives an expression forcing him to continue once more. “Except she wasn’t herself. Her eyes were…different. I tripped on something and fell over and then there was some lightning and Rey wasn’t little anymore, she was older, still in black though.” Ben finishes, leaving out the part where she called him by his name. 

“Hmm.” Luke turns back to the stars and ponders what Ben has just told him. “I could sense her power. She is very strong.”

“She’s just a kid, Master.” Ben counters.

“Yes, but children grow, Ben. As they grow, temptations build. Curiosity and the power for more knowledge is not always a good thing. The need for more of _anything_ is a quick path to the dark side.” His voice trails. 

They drop out of hyperspace and are greeted by their familiar planet. Luke does not say anything more about Ben’s vision and Ben does not mind. As Luke navigates back into the atmosphere of the planet, he tells Ben to go wake Rey. Ben obeys. He finds Rey, small and cuddled under a blanket in a bed compartment. He watches her sleep for a moment. She seems peaceful. He likes her better this way, he thinks. She has no signs of sadness or anger, only peace. Ben feels a strange urge to brush the stray hairs from her face, but he resists. His next thought, almost in the same beat, is to read her mind, an urge he also resists. Sleep is when someone is most vulnerable, even the strongest of minds can be entered during sleep. Thoughts you have in sleep should be private, Ben believes. He sits down on the bed unit and gently taps her shoulder. Rey awakes quickly giving Ben a sharp slap in the face with the back of her hand. She blinks a few times realizing where she is and what has happened. Her face is full of regret.

“I’m sorry!” She exclaims as he rubs his cheek from the assault. “I didn’t do that on purpose! I promise! You just scared me…” Her voice falls as she raises her hand to his cheek. She places her small hand over his and looks at Ben’s eyes. His face is soft, he does not appear angry. Rey takes note of his honey eyes, _beautiful_ , she thinks. Now she is sure he is the angel from her dreams. He moves his hand from his face, in turn removing hers as well. Rey’s hand plops back into her lap as Ben stands. 

“We’re almost home.” He says coolly and walks away back toward the cockpit. 

Rey leaps up from the bed, throwing the blanket to the ground and runs forward, passing Ben. She thrusts herself on the console and admires the view. Beautiful blue cloud filled skies, a raging ocean below them, and green, so much green. Ben takes his seat, face still stinging slightly from the slap. He watches her move her gaze from admiring the environment outside, to admiring Luke piloting skills. Ben is not sure which one makes her more excited. The ship lands swiftly and Luke powers down the engine. Ben rises and begins to exit.

“Ben?” Luke calls from the pilot seat causing Ben to stop in his tracks. “Can you take Rey and get her settled with the other younglings? Show her to her room, get her some robes, you know, give her the tour? I have some things I need to take care of.”

Ben breathes out annoyance, “Master, _please_ don’t make me-”

“Ben.” Luke says sternly. Luke always gets his way. 

“Yes, Master, okay, fine.” Ben obeys reluctantly, grumbling as he exits to the main cabin. He grabs his pack and Rey is shortly behind him, grabbing her bag as well. “Follow me.” He mumbles. She obeys silently. 

They walk off the ship and are greeted by the scent of fresh grass and cool ocean air. Ben continues walking toward the Temple, only to realize Rey has stopped at the edge of the ramp. She drops her bag at her side and bends down. Her fingers comb through the lush green grass of the planet. She has never felt anything so wonderful. It is soft, not coarse like the sand on Jakku. The grass feels cool to the touch, not hot like everything she has ever known. Ben begrudgingly walks back to the ramp where Rey kneels. 

“Come on kid, we can feel grass later, let’s go get you cleaned up.”

Rey looks up at him, the sun rays shining from behind his head _. Yes, definitely an angel_ , she thinks. She looks back at the grass, takes one more gentle stroke of her fingers through it, then picks her bag up and stands. Ben continues walking forward once more. His legs are so long she has trouble keeping up. He is making her miss all of the beautiful scenery around her and she grows angry. 

“Will you slow down!” She shouts at him. Ben ignores her. “Hey! I said slow down!” She yells again hastening forward. He continues to ignore her as he adjusts the pack on his shoulder. Rey stop in her tracks. “BEN!” She screams. The sound of his name on her lips makes him jolt and he turns around to find small Rey standing, her bag thrown down onto the grass, her hair buns have practically fallen out from the pace she was trying to keep, cheeks red with anger. Ben feels a small twinge of guilt in his heart. She speaks, her small angry voice very steady now. “I have _never_ seen anything like this before and you are _ruining_ it for me.” She stands her ground firmly. Ben does not respond, just looks at this small angry child glaring at him. “I come from a desert planet. Are you so _stupid_ that you think I would just rush through something like this?” 

Ben feels her anger building, similar to the way his own anger does, he sees her eyes change in front of him from gentle hazel to a cold black tone. He regrets his selfish actions and walks closer to Rey. Her face changes from anger, to confusion, to a combination of both as he bends down to her eye level. 

“I’m sorry, Rey. That was mean of me to rush you.” He says sheepishly. He feels her anger lessen at his words. “I’ve just been here so long, none of this really…affects me anymore.” He pauses and looks at her big eyes, now filled less with rage and more with something Ben was not quite sure of how to describe. He slowly reaches for her hand, slightly frightened by what the touch may bring, considering what their last physical encounter produced. He holds her hand in his, mimicking the way Luke treats the new younglings. “Take all the time you need.” He gives her a soft smile. 

Her eyes shift back to their normal hazel color and Ben feels a weight lifted off his chest as she smiles back at him, coiling her fingers around his hand. Rey closes her eyes and lifts her face to the sky. She takes a deep breath through her nose and releases it with a large sigh. She opens her eyes and turns to Ben, who is still kneeling in front of her.

“Okay, I’m ready now.” She says sweetly, causing Ben to notice the vast difference in her tone from moments ago versus now. 

Ben rises from the ground, expecting Rey to let go of his hand as he did. However, much to his surprise, she continued her grip onto him. Ben reminds himself that she is still a child, lost and in a strange new place. Everything around her is unfamiliar, except Ben. He reluctantly allows the hand holding to continue as he walks her slowly to the Temple entrance. 

The Temple, a jar shaped building, was overbearingly large to Rey. It was home to various types of saber training rooms, physical training rooms, and many other spaces that housed items to aid in numerous parts of Jedi training. They step inside and the stone floor echoes their footsteps. Rey, still holding on tight to Ben’s hand, twists her head from side to side, taking in as much of the Temple as she can. Ben comes to a stop on their right, in front of a grey door painted with a linear design. He waves his hand to reveal the inside. The room is circular, a simple open space with large windows lining the walls. The view from the window shows the ocean below them.

“This,” Ben says gesturing to the room, “Will be where most of your initial training will be held, with the other younglings of course.” Rey releases Ben’s hand and walks inside. She stands in the middle of the room. An emblem is painted in gold on the floor below her. 

“What’s this?” She points to the ground.

“That’s the symbol of the Jedi Order.” Ben says frankly. 

Rey observes the symbol. She takes note of the wings that flare out on the sides. She traces the shining light beam with her feet. Ben observes the pure joy Rey is experiencing and suddenly he feels warmth grow inside his chest. He can feel her Force energy radiating off of her and onto him. Ben cannot remember the last time he felt warm like this. The last time he felt pure joy. He welcomes the feeling and smiles at the young girl in her state of pure bliss. 

Rey feels Ben’s eyes on her as she turns to the windows. She can hear the crashing of waves hitting rocks below the Temple. She presses her face against the window, wanting to see everything. She catches a glimpse of a creature far out in the ocean and turns to Ben with excitement. He walks to meet her at the window, his hands intertwined at his abdomen level, the sleeves of his robe covering them from her sight. _He looks very nice like that_ , Rey thinks as she looks up at him. His gaze is focused on the water. Rey tugs on his cloak and gestures that she is ready to leave the room. Ben walks, hands still in his sleeves. Rey tugs on his cloak once more and directs her eyes to his hands, still invisible to her. Ben rolls his eyes just a little as he releases his grip and drops his right hand at his side. She happily grips her fingers around his palm and Ben feels the warmth of her energy flow between them. The energy again, feeling eerily familiar to him, strangely similar to his own, something Ben has never experienced before with any other students. He thinks he must be imagining things and continues his tour with Rey. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're enjoying!   
> Leave some comment/feedback if you so please:)


	4. Settling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He looks down at her in judgement. Ben wonders what such a small girl needs so many rolls for, especially since she has already got one hanging from her mouth. She looks at Ben with innocent eyes, as if she can hide the fact that she has just stolen an entire basket of food. His honey eyes stare into hers and she feels an uncomfortable pull in his direction.

“These are your robes,” Ben plops a heavy lump of folded material into Rey’s small arms. “You get three pairs, wash them accordingly.” He moves to a wall clad with leather belts, metal hooks and clasps, and settles on a few small sized items. He places two belts and one metal hook on top of the pile in her arms. He crosses the room in front of her, causing her to spin as he does so. He has moved to a wall of boots and kneels down to the lowest shelf. He picks up a small pair of dark tan boots and observes the bottoms before placing them atop her ever-growing pile of items. Rey is strong though; the weight barely phases her. She may appear small, but she is a fighter. She is determined to never be observed as weak. Jakku taught her what happens to the weak. 

“Alright, we are done here.” Ben says as he walks out of the room and back into the hallway.

They have reached the end of the tour. On their way through, they were greeted occasionally by other students, other _Jedi_ , Rey reminds herself. Some bigger than Ben and others that are about Rey’s size, all dressed in their neutral tone colored robes. Everyone here seemed happy, well except for Ben, he seems to be the exception to that. She believes that she can be happy here like the others. Rey looks down at the pile of clothes in her arms and feels eager to change out her current outfit and into something fresh and new. 

“I’ll show you your hut.” Ben states as he turns to walk back toward entrance of the Temple.

Rey scurries behind him making sure not to drop anything from her hands. Fellow younglings smile at her as she passes. A few Padawans pass by her laughing, sporting their braids just as Ben does, and Rey wonders if he has any friends here. Not one person has acknowledged him since they have arrived. Just as her thoughts complete, a singular student greets Ben. A boy with strong facial features, bald, and a few inches shorter than Ben, walks over to him, places his hand on his shoulder, and smiles.

“Hey Ben, heard you took a trip with Master Luke this morning!” He sounds genuinely kindhearted, a nice counter voice to Ben’s harsher tones. “How did it go?”

“Successfully.” Ben responds shortly as he gestures with his head behind him to reveal Rey, her face practically covered by the tower of clothes in her arms. 

The boy leaves Ben and moves gently closer to her. He kneels down and smiles, lifting the boots from the top of her pile. “Here, let me help you with that.”

“I can do it myself!” Rey says sharply. Rey does not like help from strangers, especially _nice_ ones. They are always the ones to look out for.

He returns the boots, laughing as he rises up from the ground. “She’s fiery.” He directs the comment to Ben, who nods in agreement. 

“You should have seen her when we got off the ship. Practically screamed at me for not letting her roll around in the grass.” Ben’s voice sounds lighter as he jokes with the boy next to him.

“She’s got a strong Force presence though,” The boy says looking at Rey, “She’ll be an interesting one to watch.”

“Yeah, let’s just hope I’m not the one stuck watching her.” Ben chuckles and rolls his eyes as he waves goodbye to the boy who returns the gesture to both Ben and Rey and continues down the hall.

As they exit the Temple, Rey’s vision is met with a rolling hill that is home to small wooden huts. There are maybe 10 or 12 grouped together in the direction they are headed, but as Rey pans her vision, she finds many small clusters of these wooden huts scattered across the grounds, some unfinished. They arrive at the door of a hut on the far right of the cluster and Ben knocks. No one speaks from the inside, so Ben pushes the door open. Inside there are two small beds, one on each side of the hut, on raised wooden platforms. Each bed is displayed with a few blankets and one pillow. Rey pushes passed Ben and steps inside. She places her things on the unoccupied bed and admires the building around her. It is simple, but Rey is astounded by the circular architecture of the wood and the room’s high ceiling. This is nothing like her home back on Jakku. She looks out the window to her right and she can see in the short distance, more huts clustered together. 

“You’ll share this room with Kya. She’s about your age. I’m sure you two will be great friends.” Ben says flatly as he leans up against the door frame. “The bathing area is just through that door.” He points to a closed wooden door. “You’ll find a working shower and everything else you will need in there.” 

Rey has moved now to her bed. She smooths her fingers against the sheet. It feels gentle on her skin. Her finger reach the pillow and she gives it a soft squeeze. It feels the way Rey would imagine a cloud does. Her pillow on Jakku was just a sack she had filled with random rags she had collected over time. Ben watches her delight in the pillow’s softness and smiles briefly to himself before a wave of guilt falls over him. Ben, who had always had so much, quite literally from the day he was born, never really thought about children like Rey. Sure, he knew there were less fortunate planets than his of Chandrilla that his father had told him of, but Ben’s imagination would never place a _child_ in such a setting. 

“I’ll uh…leave you to it then.” He says backing away from the entrance. Just as he turns around, he hears her soft voice call for him.

“Ben?” It almost sounds like a plea. He turns back to the hut and before he knows it his body is being squeezed by this tiny human. She looks up at him and smiles widely, showing her teeth. “Thank you.” She releases him from her grasp and walks back into her hut. Ben stands there, door closed in his face, slightly mesmerized by this little person, before he gathers himself and walks back to his own hut. 

***

Rey moves about the room slowly, familiarizing herself with each section of the walls around her. She pads over to the bathing room Ben had pointed out. She pops her head inside and finds a glass square with a flat silver plate hanging above it. She moves inside the square to observe more closely. There are a variety of buttons on the wall in front of her, which remind her of a spaceship. She looks up at the metal plate and notices there are small holes poked into it. She decides to press a large green button. _Green for Go, right?_ She thinks. A strange sound fills her ears and suddenly it is raining inside, right on her head. She gives a small shout for the water falling onto her skin is shockingly cold, and somewhere in his own hut, Ben feels a strange chill. 

Rey fiddles around with more buttons in front of her until the water resides at a neutral temperature. She steps out of the main stream of water and observes the machine above her head. She has never seen anything like it. She looks about the glass box and finds a bar of pale colored soap hidden in the wall. Finally, something familiar, soap. She brings it to her nose and inhales deeply. It smells of scents she has never experienced before but deems it worthy and begins to rub it on her skin, realizing now that she still has her on her Jakku rags. She gently unwraps her arm bands and drops them outside the glass door. She leaves the rest of her clothing in a pile in the corner as she handles the soap in her hands and brushing it smoothly against her skin. This is a feeling she can get used to. 

When she feels ready, she fiddles around with the buttons again until the water ceases. She opens the door and reaches for a soft towel hanging on the wall. _Everything here is soft_ , she thinks as she rubs her face against the gentle material. She wraps the towel around herself and steps out of the glass box, careful not to slip. She finds herself in front of the largest mirror she has ever seen. She can see her entire face in this, which is a delightful change compared to what she used back home for a reflection. She observes her appearance. Her skin is tan, freckled, and _clean_. Rey is unsure she remembers her skin ever appearing this, shiny. She runs her small fingers through her hair, buns now fallen out from the water assault she just experienced. She runs her fingernails on her scalp. _No sand_ , she thinks and smiles at herself in the mirror. 

Rey moves from the bathing area and back to her bed where her robes lay waiting for her. She dresses to the best of her ability, racking her brain to remember what the other students looked like in the Temple. She pulls on a loose-fitting pair of dark tan trousers, similar to the ones she wore on Jakku now that’s she has placed them on. She pulls a light tan, silky, long sleeved tunic over her head, followed by a thicker materialled vest of a darker shade. She reaches for the leather belt Ben had given her and she ties it around her waist. She slips on her boots before heading back to the mirror. She admires herself in her new clean clothes as she styles her hair back into her three signature buns. She spins and runs back toward the door of her hut, only to be met face to face with someone new.

“Hi!” A young girl, around Rey’s height has just entered the hut. She has unstyled dirty blonde hair and deep blue eyes. “You must be Rey! My name is Kya.”

Rey gives a soft hello as Kya moves about the hut and settles herself on the bed near the window. She swings her feet off the edge of the bed, unable to reach the ground. She is shifting her head back and forth, almost as if she is listening to some tune in her mind when she suddenly stops and looks at Rey. 

“Your belt is on wrong.” She hops off her bed and down to where Rey is standing. Kya adjusts Rey’s belt. “This little clip,” She says picking up the metal clasp from Rey’s bed, “Will be where your lightsaber goes.” Rey cocks her head to the side and looks at the girl. Kya notices her confusion and speaks again. “You know, the weapon of a Jedi. A laser sword?”

Rey had heard mentions on Jakku of such things, but never imagined she would ever see one, let alone _own_ one herself. A smile grows on her face at the thought of her, Rey of Jakku, wielding a lightsaber, battling bad guys, saving the galaxy. Kya smiles back and grabs her hand. Before Rey even knows what has happened, she is outside the hut running the opposite direction of the Temple toward an open field filled with the most beautiful yellow flowers. Kya stops abruptly in the middle of the field and looks at Rey eagerly.

“Okay Rey, show me what you can do!” She stretches her arms as wide as she can. Rey gives her a confused look. Kya explains, “You know, The Force.” As she speaks, she waves her hand slightly in the direction of the ground and Rey notices a group of flowers bustle around her, although no wind has come. 

“I-I’m not sure how?” Rey questions herself looking nervously around at the field.

“Ooh you’re like, _that_ new.” Kya adjusts her stance and drops herself onto the ground sitting cross legged. She motions for Rey to join her. “Here’s what you’re going to do. Close your eyes.” Rey obeys the command. “Now take a deep breath. The deepest breath you’ve _ever_ taken!” Kya breathes in and Rey mimics. “Now breathe out _really_ big.” Rey copies again. “Okay, how do you feel now?”

“Um…the same?” Rey is even more confused than before.

“Aw man, Master Luke always has us do that and it helps. Maybe I’m doing something wrong.” She scratches her head as Rey continues to stare at her. “Oh well!” She announces, getting up from the ground. “I like your hair.” Kya smiles as she extends her hand to help Rey up.

“Thank you.” Rey responds.

“You’re not much of a talker, are you?” Kya asks and Rey softly smiles in response. “That’s okay, I still think we’re going to be best friends!” She grabs Rey’s hand in hers and runs back off into the direction of the Temple. 

***

Rey and Kya make their way over to the dining area around dinner time. When the smell of food slaps her in the face, Rey realizes how hungry she truly is. She is practically running down the hall to find the source of the heavenly scent. Kya runs after her and nearly bumps into Rey who has stopped short in the doorway of the dining room. Rey’s eyes scan the long table at the end of the room decorated with all types of meats, breads, and soups, followed by sweets and other colorful things Rey has never seen before. Kya walks forward and Rey follows, unsure of the protocol, but desperate for food to fill her always empty stomach. Kya lifts a metal dish and hands it to Rey then turns back to select her own. She walks Rey down the table and gives her a colorfully worded explanation of every dish they pass on the table. Rey takes one of everything and sometimes two of certain things. 

The girls claim two seats together at a long table. Kya is chatting about something, but Rey had drowned her out with the sound of her own aggressive chewing. Everything tastes so amazing and she wonders if she was even alive before this very meal. Kya slaps her hand on the table near Rey’s plate and captures her attention.

“Hey, have you never seen food before? Slow down or you’ll choke!” Kya laughs as she warns her, and Rey gives a guilty smile.

“I’m from Jakku, it’s a desert planet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much food in my entire life.”

“Ooh. Well, in that case, go take some more!” She laughs and continues her own meal. 

As dinner time winds down, Kya dismisses herself before Rey is finished. It seems she has just remembered she had forgotten something in the library when she was last there…yesterday. Rey waves goodbye as Kya slips out the exit. The room is relatively empty now, most of the students have retired to the respective huts for the night, but Rey lingers to enjoy the aroma of the freshly baked rolls that have just been brought out. The last few straggling students leave, and Rey is left alone in the room, still entranced by the smell around her. She walks up to the table and views the basket of rolls, mostly full, only missing about 2 or 3 off the top. She takes a swift look around the room to make sure no one is watching as she scoops up the basket in her arms and makes a mad dash for the exit, stuffing one roll into her mouth in the process.

As she rounds the corner, she is greeted by a tall dark-haired figure. The image frightens her, and she almost drops her basket of rolls. She blinks through the dimmed Temple lights and sees it is Ben, dressed in different robes than he wore this morning. These are darker, tones of brown and black, but similarly styled to her own. He looks down at her in judgement. Ben wonders what such a small girl needs so many rolls for, especially since she has already got one hanging from her mouth. She looks at Ben with innocent eyes, as if she can hide the fact that she has just stolen an entire basket of food. His honey eyes stare into hers and she feels an uncomfortable pull in his direction. He slowly reaches his hand into the basket and takes a roll off the top. He taps it on the edge of her hairline, then turns on his heels and walks back to exit the Temple. 

Rey stands there, confused, bread still hanging out of her mouth, when she suddenly she feels her feet begin to run forward. She is careful not to drop the basket or any of its contents as she rushes forward at Ben. He hears her comes. He can feel her Force energy grow closer to him. He does not like how _loud_ her presence feels in his mind. On the coat tail of his annoyance, he turns and extends his hand forward in The Force. Rey is suddenly not moving forward anymore, but she feels as if she is running in place. She looks down over the basket in her arms to see her feet moving, only she is not on the ground. It is an odd sensation. She shoots a harsh look at Ben that both melts and freezes his insides at the same time. He lowers his hand as he gently places her back onto the ground.

“What was that for??” Rey questions, dropping the roll from her teeth. 

“You’re just so _loud_.” He says in anguish.

“I wasn’t even talking, _Braid_.” She sticks her tongue out, taunting his logic that makes no sense to her. 

“That’s not-ughhh, never mind.” He brushes his free hand through his hair and for a second Rey admires how soft it looks. She thinks it may be as soft as the pillow back at her hut. “And don’t,” He lifts his hand casually and a roll flies out from Rey’s basket and swiftly into his palm, “call me braid.” He says sternly before exiting through the large door and into the darkness outside. 

_Ben is a weird boy_ , Rey thinks as she pads off into the direction of her own hut. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed!  
> Let me know what you thought, I love reading your comments! :)


	5. The Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ben?” She stops abruptly in the grassy field they walk in. She looks up at him, angel eyes glistening in the night.
> 
> “Yes?”
> 
> “Do you feel warm?” In any other circumstance it would be a strange question to ask, that is, if his answer was not yes. 
> 
> He looks at her, unsure how to answer. Unsure what type of conversation his true answer of ‘yes’ would spark between him and this child. 

Rey wakes to the feeling of cold stone under her feet. It is still dark outside, but the moon and stars shine brightly on this cool planet. Rey finds herself standing outside a hut similar to her own, yet she is unsure who this one belongs to, or why she has found herself in front of it in the middle of the night. Her hand is raised, as if she is about to knock, or perhaps she already has, her memory is unclear. The last thing she remembers was curling into her new silky soft sheets and drifting off into a blissful sleep full of dreams about Jedi, lightsabers, and The Force. It is unknown to her how those dreams have brought her body to this hut. Almost as quickly as she found herself here, the door swings open to reveal the owner.

 _Ben_? 

He stands in the doorway sleepy eyed as he ruffles his hand through his messy hair. At first, he does not see Rey, but when his sight line lowers, a wave of confusion washes over his tired face. Rey, equally confused looks up at Ben, sleep still in his eyes. She opens her mouth to speak but no words fall out. Ben pokes his head out of the door, leaning over Rey’s small height, and looks around. He assumes it is students playing some type of force trick on the sleeping new youngling, but much to his surprise, no one is there. He senses no other presence but his own, which strikes him as odd considering Rey is just beside him. He straights his posture and taps her head, testing if she is real or simply a figment of his sleeping imagination. 

“Ow.” She sneers at him and his eyes open wider realizing this child is quite literally on his doorstep, barefoot, and in her night clothes. 

“How did you…never mind.” He shakes his head. “Aren’t you cold? Come inside.” He gives no moment for her to respond as he pulls her by the arm and into his hut. 

Ben lives alone, a singular bed platform at the far end of the hut. A table sits near his bed housing books, scrolls, and writing implements of some kind that Rey has never seen before. Still barely awake, she notices Ben has moved away from the now closed door behind her. Before she knows it, he has returned with a glass of some blue liquid. Rey takes a sip and her mouth is greeted kindly with a floral taste. She enjoys the flavor and finishes her glass. Ben takes a seat on the edge of his bed. Rey looks around, then decides to sit cross legged on the floor opposite of him. 

“Why are you at my hut in the middle of the night?” Ben questions her interrogatingly yet still in a sleepy manner.

Rey scratches her head as she fiddles with her buns trying to find the answers deep in her brain. Reluctantly she responds, “I don’t know?”

“You don’t know?” He repeats.

“Yes, that’s what I just said!” She fires back, annoyed by his tone. 

He puts his hands up in offense, “Hey listen kid, you showed up at my door. I’m just making sure no one is messing with you.”

“Messing with me? Who would do that?” Rey questions angerly.

“Not everyone here is as nice as Master Luke thinks they are Rey. Some of them are-” She cuts him off.

“That’s not true! I bet you don’t have any friends! I bet you’re just jealous of those other kids!” She said loudly, tension building in her voice.

“I am not! There’s nothing to be jealous of! I’m better than all of them combined!” Ben stands from his bed, books are invisibly thrown from the table, and scrolls slam against the wall of the hut. His act of anger causes Rey to scoot back in fear. 

Ben realizes quickly what he has done and tries to recenter himself. He knows not to let his anger get the best of him, especially in front of others. He is unsure why he chose to release it in front of Rey, a child. Ben knows who his family is. He knows what his bloodline holds. He knows how easily he can lose control of his own emotions. He is always on the brink. Always one small bend away from a snap. He closes his eyes and breathes deeply, imaging the pull of an ocean tide. He opens his eyes to see Rey pressed against the wall, still shaken by his small fit of anger. He walks over to her and she pushes herself closer into the wood, unsure of Ben’s approach. He extends his hand fondly.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I got angry. Lost my temper.” He sounds disappointed in himself as he looks down at the floor, observing Rey’s small toes. 

Rey feels again, a strange pull to be closer to Ben. She unwillingly places her small hand in his and he helps her rise from the ground. 

“Come on, let’s get you back to bed.” He says softly looking down at her cherubic face.

He opens the door and guides her outside. As they walk in silence, her hand in his, Ben once again feels The Force move between their palms. The touch causes Ben to feel a warmth swell from the center of his chest. He wonders if she feels it too. If she even truly recognizes the energy of The Force yet. 

“Ben?” She stops abruptly in the grassy field they walk in. She looks up at him, angel eyes glistening in the night.

“Yes?”

“Do you feel warm?” In any other circumstance it would be a strange question to ask, that is, if his answer was not yes. 

He looks at her, unsure how to answer. Unsure what type of conversation his true answer of ‘yes’ would spark between him and this child. 

“I-” He goes to speak but her small voice cuts him off.

“Because when I am around you, I feel warm, but when I am around other people, I feel cold. Except sometimes, when I’m alone, I feel the same kind of warm, but different.” Her mumbled ramble takes up a large amount of space in his mind. 

Ben tries to sift through her childlike explanation. He is no Luke, but he decides to give it a shot. “Um…okay.” He shifts on his feet before kneeling to her eye level. “Sometimes, feelings like that…are workings of The Force. Like…The Force is trying to tell us something.” Rey looks more confused than before and Ben knows he is blowing this. “Um…The Force connects all living things. It’s like…an invisible person, like a spirit? And that spirit lives inside us. Sometimes when that spirit finds something it connects to, we have a reaction, like feeling warm.” He’s not even sure what he said makes sense. Rey is silent for a few moments; he can see her processing his words. Finally, she speaks.

“Sooo…my Force likes your Force?” 

_Wow that is a much simpler way of putting it,_ Ben thinks. “Uh yeah, I think that sound right.”

Rey reaches her small hand to the top of his head. She shakes her fingers through his sleepy hair. 

“So soft.” She giggles. Her comment is innocent. The sound of her laugh makes Ben’s heart float and he has an overwhelming feeling to protect this small girl. She tugs at his braid and scrunches her nose. Ben knows she will be a true force to be reckoned with when she learns how to control the power within her. The thought almost worries him, but before his mind can linger too long on the feeling, Rey is off and running back to her hut. Her three little buns bobbing as she jumps over rocks in her way.

Yes, a true force she will be. 

***

“Alright everyone, select your saber from the table in the back and then return to your assigned position.” Master Luke says with just a hint of excitement on his tongue. 

Rey looks around and sees other students have already selected their practice sabers and are ready to begin. Fearful of falling behind on her first day, she rushes to the table. Kya is thankfully in her class, but she quickly chooses her saber from the table and moves back to the front of the room. Rey looks feverishly at the array of sabers, unsure how to choose correctly. Before she begins to turn around, Master Luke has already appeared at her side. He places his hand on her shoulder.

“It’s alright Rey,” He says in his calming tone, sensing her conflict, “You can choose whichever one you would like. Close your eyes and listen to The Force around you. _Feel_ which saber is yours today.” 

She does as she is told. With her eyes closed, strangely enough, things appear more clearly. It is as if she can see the colors of each saber’s aura as she stretches her hand forward. With her eyes still closed, she grazes her hand gently over the sabers on the table until her instincts send a jolt to her brain to stop. She grips her small hand around the hilt and opens her eyes. The hilt has a standard appearance of metal with small hints of gold plates scattered on each end. Rey smiles and looks up at Luke, who gives her a gentle smile as he returns to the front of the room. Rey follows gripping her saber nervously. 

“Remember, these are combat sabers set to low power, but that does not mean they cannot injury you. You must treat it as if it is at full power. Allow The Force to guide your movements. Let the saber become an extension of yourself.” Luke says boldly and Rey’s eyes fill with excitement. “Alright, go on.”

The sounds of ignitions of the lightsabers echo through the room. Various colors fill the dimly lit space. Blue, green, orange, purple. Rey is mesmerized by them all. She looks down at her own saber as she settles it into her hands. She takes a deep breath and ignites it. _Green_. Not what she was hoping for, but she will take it. She closes her eyes and listens to the deep hum of the weapon in her hands. The sound syncs with her breath. Her heart beats to the slow hum as she shifts her weight, feeling that warmth she has now recognizes as The Force. It radiates from her heart and through her bloodstream. It hits every vein, ever bone, every nerve in her body. It bleeds from her fingertips and into the saber. _An extension of yourself_. Without thinking, her eyes still closed, Rey shifts the saber into one hand and curls her wrist with flare.

“Whoa, how did you do that?” Kya says from the corner of the room.

Rey opens her eyes and to her surprise, all 10 students have stopped and watched Rey. The childlike awe in their eyes fills her, fuels her even. She spins the saber again. _Oohs_ and _Ahhs_ fill the room as others try to imitate Rey’s motion. No other student succeeds. Rey hears small comments of ‘ow’ and ‘ugh’ as the other younglings nick their skin during their efforts. Rey shifts the saber into her nondominant hand now, twisting again at her wrist, still unscathed by the action. Rey feels the other youngling’s distress as they try to emulate her movements again, reaching for Luke to help them accomplish their goals, yet none do. Rey smiles at the thought of her superiority, and it is only her first day.

Kya, who is in the far-left corner of the room, is feverishly twisting and turning her place trying to achieve her goal. She appears unphased by Rey’s success as she sends a crooked toothed smile across the room at her. Rey smiles back before returning to her own saber. She closes her eyes once more and listens to the _whoosh_ as she swings it from side to side. The Force fills her, makes her feel whole, although not completely whole, for Rey feels a small piece of her still missing. 

After their lesson, the younglings are instructed to keep their sabers and practice basic movements of defense. Rey clips her saber to her belt, eager for the next chance she will have to ignite it, intoxicated by the attention she drew in class. She and Kya exit the room together and walk down the hall to the outside. Kya chats about how she felt holding the saber and how happy she was to see the purple color when ignited. Rey nods aimlessly. She is busy thinking of the energy she felt in the room. The anger and frustration of the other younglings when they were unable to succeed in the task that Rey was able to perform effortlessly. Their sorrows only made her feel stronger in her own Force. For a moment, she had felt unstoppable, like she could do anything she wanted. The feeling passed quickly when she reminded herself that she is still very new and has no real idea what she is doing. 

Kya settles herself on a flat-topped boulder in an open field near the Temple. Rey falls into a laying position in the grass below her. She extends her arms and legs freely as the grass surrounds her body. She will never get tired of the grass here. She looks up at the blue sky, a few white clouds painted into it. Rey watches them roll by her, letting her eyes shut as she enjoys the gentle sunshine on her skin. A few moments of silence pass.

“What are we doing?” Rey asks, opening one eye, realizing Kya has been silent far longer than usual.

“Meditating.” Kya says. Her eyes are closed. Her blonde hair blows swiftly in the breeze as she sits tall and cross-legged above Rey. “Getting ready for class.”

“Oh.” Rey says as she recloses her eyes. 

Rey is unsure how to properly meditate but is sure she will be good at it. The _best_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!   
> Feel free to leave some comments/feedback! :)


	6. Lifting Rocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why are you sad?” 
> 
> The question twists at Ben’s insides. How did she know? Did she read his mind? How could she, she has not even learned about such power. Is she more attuned to The Force than both he, she, or even Luke knows?
> 
> “I hear them too.” She mutters as she kneels before him once more. “Sometimes.”

“Now focus on your breath. Feel the energy that surrounds you.” Luke says calmly as he paces between each student that sits cross-legged on a small round cushioned platform. “Recognize your own energy.”

Rey is focused. Determined to be the best meditator there is. She obeys her Master and focuses on her own energy. She takes a deep breath and feels her soul dive into itself. It is as if she has transported herself to another world. She sees nothing but feels _everything_. She feels a warm yellow glow from her skin and it makes her smile. She feels the energy around her that matches her yellow hue. She feels at peace with herself. However, she wants to dive deeper. Another large inhale followed by exhale thrusts her mind forward. Her heartbeat bangs in her ears as she feels a swell of warmth, but not the same as before. This warmth is deeper, darker. This warmth is red, like a blazing fire. She feels…anger, jealousy, fear. These feelings build up inside her, shifting her peaceful color from yellow to a dark red, almost matching the hue of blood. Rey feels the blood under her skin begin to boil. She unknowingly clenches her fists so tight that she draws blood into her palms. A wave of cold washes over her like a wave from an ocean she has never felt. She is washed away as the tide pulls her deep into the depths of her own subconscious. Rey reaches for the surface, desperate to return to reality, but her efforts are unsuccessful. The drench of the wave consumes her and pulls her down. She is drowning in her own self. She feels no hope. 

A tight hand grips her shoulder, lifting her from her soul, saving her from her own self. Rey’s eyes open, blurry with tears of fear and confusion. Luke is eye level with her. She looks around at the other students, none of which seems to have experienced what she just has. She looks back at Luke with tear filled eyes. She opens her mouth to speak and no words come out. Luke wears an expression of concern as he takes her small hands in his.

“Close your eyes.” He whispers.

Frightened of what she will see, Rey obeys. Her mind begins to fill slowly as she steadies her breath. Images of grass and the feeling of sun hitting her skin occupies space in her mind. The scent of warm freshly baked bread wakes her senses. She begins to feel peaceful once more. She feels her energy shift back to the familiar yellow. 

***

When their meditation lesson was over, Kya went off in the direction of the dining area, but Rey was not hungry. Still shaken by her experience in class, she dismissed herself and slowly wandered with the intention of returning to her hut. The plan was foiled when her mind had her take a detour. Instead of walking forward toward the huts, she makes a sharp right, heading away from the Temple. She wanders far. Finding empty ground of the planet seemingly untouched for many years. Ruins of buildings that previously stood scatter around her as she walks aimlessly. Rey is unsure where in particular she is going but feels like The Force is guiding her. Unfortunately, her and The Force are not the best pair right now. She feels confused and angry at The Force. She wonders why it would lead her so deep into pits of despair. She feels anger build in her small soul again at the thought. The feeling of Red begins to take over. Fists tight, she walks more rapidly through the ruins.

Trying not to let her anger consume her, she hoists herself onto a flat stone ruin and gives meditating another try. She takes one last look around her environment, takes in the greenery that has slowly grown up the sides of the stone ruins. She wonders what stood here before. With that thought, she closes her eyes, breathing deeply as she was instructed in her lesson. She feels her energy, Yellow. Although, she notices it is not the same tone as it once was. The yellow appears slightly darker than before, more orange. Rey wonders if she has done something wrong. 

Ignoring her own energy, she tries to feel The Force around her. She feels the life of the planet. She feels the heat of the sun contrasted by the crashing waves of the ocean below. She feels the life forces contained in the ruins. _How could something so old still hold this much energy_ , she wonders. She feels an energy creeping toward her. Something cold. It feels dark. The feeling closes in on her as she bursts her eyes open. Her sight is greeted with a flood of sunlight and a shadow casted from behind her. She spins feverishly to identify what has found her so far from the Temple. 

_Ben_.

He stands there, silent, a painful look on his face. His eyes appear lightly misted and Rey wonders if he’d been crying. He is in his dark brown and black robes, his lightsaber hooked on his left side. Rey observes his saber, noticing that it is similarly shaped to the one she possesses at her left hip. The only difference is that Rey’s training saber has gold plates where Ben’s lacks the color. She looks back at his face. Ben breaks the silence.

“How did you find this place?” His voice is shaky and weak. Rey notices his hands in fists at his sides. 

“I…” She is unsure how to communicate what brought her here in the first place. “The Force?” She questions herself in her own response.

Ben just looks at her, confused by her answer as much as she is. She cannot seem to understand what made her body walk in the direction it did, or what made her stop where she is now. Only that she had a feeling. Ben, who is standing on an adjacent piece of ruin, decides to take a seat. He does not speak, only closes his eyes. Rey watches him quizzically. He steadies his breath and unclenches his fists. Rey hears the near sound of rocks moving and she rises to her knees to observe the space around her. Slowly, rocks rise from the ruin on the ground. They move like they are being blown by a soft breeze, except, no air moves around them. She turns back to Ben, who is now surrounded by these various sized floating rocks. His face appears gentle, kind, and relaxed. He looks at peace. Rey stares blankly in awe of him and his power. 

Rey feels a strange sensation move through her that causes her to hop up from her own ruin and onto Ben’s. The rocks circling Ben move for her smallness to pass between. She kneels in front of where Ben sits, his eyes still closed, focused. She reaches her tiny hand to his cheek, as if touching him will allow her to absorb his power, like her touch could transfer his energy between them. He opens one eye, rocks still levitating around the two of them.

“Do you need something?” He asks, the slightest tone of annoyance on his breath.

Before he knows what is happening, his vision shifts from reality. He sees… _the future_? A not so small Rey appears before him, laid out on the grass in front of the Temple. She appears peaceful, joyful even, as she rolls from her back and onto her knees. She wears robes similar to those that she dresses in now except toned more on the white side rather than tan. Her chestnut hair flows freely at her shoulders. She looks over at Ben and smiles kindly before her expression changes. She rises from the ground. She is tall and beautiful, maybe 19 now. Ben feels the pull of The Force on his chest as it brings him face to face with her. He too is older now. Rey smiles, reaching up to touch his cheek, just as small Rey had moments ago. The touch of this Rey feels just the same against Ben’s skin. This Rey is soft and smells of vanilla and lavender. Rey leans in and places a small kiss on his cheek before pushing him to the ground filled with yellow flowers. 

The vision ends. Ben opens his eyes in perfect time with Rey, who’s hand is still gently placed on his face. Her hazel eyes filled with golden specs look calmly into his. He wonders if she had seen what he had. 

She slowly removes her hand from his skin. Without her small touch, Ben lacks focus and the stones that were once floating around them hit the ground with loud thuds. Rey, slightly frightened by the noise leaps back, almost falling off of the platform they sit on. Ben instinctually grabs Rey’s wrist, both preventing her fall, and pulling her into his lap. 

“Ben?” She looks up at him with wide innocent eyes. “How do you lift rocks like that?”

Not the question Ben was expecting, considering the vison he assumes they both just experienced, but he answers her anyway.

“Oh, um, you just use The Force.” Ben says matter of factly. Rey tilts her head in confusion. _Of course_ , Ben thinks, Rey still does not fully understand The Force. With Rey sitting, her back flush to his chest, Ben reaches his lanky arm under hers, causing Rey’s small hand to rest on top of his own, much larger hand. He reaches out in The Force and lifts a medium sized boulder in front of them. He feels his energy coincide with Rey’s, which makes him wonder if she feels it too. He places the rock back onto the ground.

“Okay, now your turn.” He smiles slightly trying to be encouraging. She nods in response and closes her eyes. 

Again, Ben raises his arm under hers. In her efforts to achieve her goal, her fingers reach through his own and Ben feels their Force energies intertwine in the process. Hers, like an airy golden ray of light, his, Blue, mudded, and heavy. Her youthful hope balances him from the inside out. Being near this small girl brings out his own hope. Hope that he will see his mother and father again, hope that Luke does not sense the darkness Ben feels growing every day, hope that the voices that constantly occupy his mind will someday cease. 

Rey opens her eyes to the most glorious sight, a handful of small stones floating in front of her. “Ben!! Look!!” 

Her giddy excitement causes him to open his eyes and escape his thoughts. He lowers his own hand, leaving just Rey to do the ‘heavy lifting’. The rocks waiver slightly but stay floating. Rey looks around in amazement. She stands, shifting her hand around to make the rocks dance before her. She raises her second hand, eager to do more, and lifts another handful of stones from the opposite corner of the ground. Ben sits there watching the pure joy Rey is experiencing by doing something that feels is so juvenile, so basic. Her Force radiates off of her skin and onto Ben, so full of warmth and light that it might as well have burned a hole in his tunic. Her light fills the dark crevices of his mind, only for a moment, before it is pushed out by darkness. It seems to be a habit Ben can no longer control. The darkness inside of him slowly creeping closer to the surface. 

Rey drops the stones abruptly as she lowers her hands and turns to look at Ben. The sun has moved now and her tiny shadow casts down on his face. He sees the tortured look in her eyes.

“Why are you sad?” 

The question twists at Ben’s insides. How did she know? Did she read his mind? How could she, she has not even learned about such power. Is she more attuned to The Force than both he, she, or even Luke knows?

“I hear them too.” She mutters as she kneels before him once more. “Sometimes.”

Ben blinks, staring at this innocent child of 7, about the same age Ben was when he first heard them. She is picking at a string on her tunic sleeve with seemingly nothing else to say. Ben, shocked by her comment, is unsure how to answer her, or if it is even worth answering at all. His darker half says no, because admitting to the hearing these voices would only get him into trouble with Master Luke, and he would never understand. Luke is pure Jedi, he could never understand what Ben is going through….but maybe Rey could.

 _No._ The voice spits at him and Ben decides against telling her. He feels his muddy blue energy grow a shade darker. 

“Come on, I want to show you something.” He says pushing the dark thoughts out of his mind. He picks up a few pebbles from the ground beside where he sits. Rey, looking up from her sleeve, looks into Ben’s eyes. He makes a mental note of how their color has changed from honey to a deep brown, almost black, but as she looks at him, they slowly begin to shift back to normal. She moves her vision to his palm. Ben closes his eyes and within seconds the pebbles begin to float and spin above his hand. He sends one around Rey’s head and she giggles. Her Yellow light stretching toward Ben, lightening up his Blue once more. Her childish laugh balances his thwarted adolescent heart. 

The feeling of being with her is indescribable and Ben is sure no one would understand, even if he knew what to say about it. Her comment lays heavy on his mind. Although, he thinks he will choose not to bring up the topic for a long time, or ever for that matter. He would not let Rey become what he was, a deep hole of despair with no way out. She was better than him, and he knew that. He was determined to keep it that way. Determined to keep her safe, to protect her light, even if that meant staying away from her. Her mind is young, impressionable, moldable, as his once was. He will not be her downfall. He will not be her destruction. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's getting a little darker now, hope you're into that!
> 
> I love reading your feedback! It motivates me :) Let me know what you think!


	7. Darkness Within

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I can help you Rey.”   
> His words are soft and kind as they lock eyes. Rey feels a red fire building inside her. “Don’t be afraid, I feel it too. Let me show you the power of the Dark Side.” His eyes shift once more to the colors of a flame and Rey breaks their eye contact.

Months passed by after the encounter at the ruins. Ben had successfully avoided Rey as best as he could. They would exchange an occasional glance in the halls, but he would make quick work of it to disappear into the nearest doorway to avoid any physical contact. He would occasionally dream of Rey, on the days that his thoughts seemed darkest. His mind would play and replay the vision he had at the ruins of an older Ben and Rey, together, happy, at peace. He knows in his heart it will never be, and that The Force had played some kind of cruel trick on him. As the months passed, and his lack of contact with Rey continued, Ben only sunk deeper into the darkness within himself. 

Although he had a good way of hiding it, Ben was starting to worry that others were noticing his change. He was more susceptible to emotional outburst, both in class and out. He had begun to almost completely isolate himself from the other students, including his closest friend Tai. Ben wonders if he could tell Tai about his experiences with Rey and The Force. Tai did meet Rey when she first arrived, he sensed her power, maybe he would understand. Maybe he could help Ben figure out what it all means.

 _No_. The voice in his mind protests. _No one will understand. This bond you have discovered is unnatural, a power of the Dark Side within you_. And Ben believes that.

The thought that his bond with Rey, a thought that makes him feel so hopeful, is a power of the Dark Side, kills Ben. It eats at his soul on the nights that he cannot sleep. It distracts him during meditation. It prevents him from having a relationship with any other human. If being around Rey’s light makes him feel so hopeful, then being around his darkness will surly make her dark, won’t it? Ben does not want to risk it to find out. Ben is sure his distance from Rey has not gone unnoticed by her. She may be young, but she is anything but stupid. There have been an occasion or two where they have crossed paths on the way to or from their undiscovered spot of ruins, but to avoid contact he does all but Force crush her into the ground. She is still a child, and distraction comes easily to her, long enough for Ben to make a quick escape before she realizes he has gone once more. 

***

Over the course of about six months at the Jedi Temple, Rey grew stronger in The Force. She learned to recognize the power she had always possessed, just waiting to be unlocked. Her potential was limitless, if she allowed it. Master Luke trained her and the other younglings to control their power. Trained them to use the energy of the life force around them, no matter what the environment. Life force could be found in anything as small as a stone to something as large in mass as an iceberg. Not that Rey has seen an iceberg, but she has been reading about them. Kya and Rey spend a lot of time in the library actually, a strange place to be considering Kya’s talkative personality. Fortunately, she is a big rule follower so when the head librarian said quiet, Kya was utterly silent. 

As for Rey’s friendship with Ben, she is unsure. They had shared sparse and strange moments together since they met on Jakku so many months ago, but now, it was as if Ben wanted nothing to do with her. They would occasionally pass in hallways or grassy fields leading to their secret practice location among the ruins, but small Rey had too much pride to question why Ben had suddenly removed himself. In those brief passing’s, Rey could sense Ben’s Force energy. It was cold and dark, darker than when they first met. Rey wanted nothing more but to reach for his hand as they shuffle passed one another, but she knew better. She could feel his anger when he would notice her presence. Rey, though small, felt the least she could do was send off her own energy in desperation to sooth whatever troubles he was having at that moment. 

Occasionally, she would dream of Ben and the vision she had that day at the ruins. It would play in her mind more often than she would like to admit sometimes. She was herself, but taller and older. Ben was there too, also older, but still the same Ben with raven hair and big ears. His braid gone, transferred to Rey now. They would sit and talk, not about anything too important, always the same conversation on repeat in her mind. She saw moments of their older selves training side by side, their movements perfectly in time with one another. The dreams of her vision would wake her in the middle of the night with feelings of ache and longing to be near Ben. 

It was an indescribable bond. Rey had not chosen to confide in anyone about it, unclear what she would say. Kya is smart, but nothing in the books they read talks of what Rey had experienced with Ben when they would touch, or what these visions and dreams would mean. She knew better than to talk to Master Luke. Although she was quickly becoming top of her class, on the way to becoming a great padawan learner, she could feel Luke’s reservations whenever she sparred too aggressively with other students, or when she lifted more complex and cumbersome items than those of her age and size. No, she was sure this was not something to confide in Master Luke. The only true person she wanted to talk to about the bond, was Ben. 

***

Rey feels a cold wind blow across her face. She opens her eyes and is greeted by an unfamiliar setting. She is laying on a cold stone ground, surrounded by towering statues of hooded figures. In front of her sits a throne with various sized spikes shooting out around it. Lightning strikes. A figure appears on the throne. It sits with a widespread, almost too comfortable for its own good, stance. One leg is propped up on the seat as it drapes an arm over the knee. It is dress in menacing black attire. Rey stands from the ground, nervous but emulating bravery as best as she can. 

“Who are you?” She says loudly to the figure. They do not respond.

Lightning flashes again and Rey is now standing closer to the throne. She looks closely at the figure on the throne. Are her eyes deceiving her? She squints, only to be frightened by the truth as she jolts back in disbelief. It is _Ben_ sitting on the spiked throne. His eyes honey eyes consumed and replaced by the appearance of flames. The angel from her dreams, twisted into a demon. Rey turns to run but suddenly finds herself motionless. Ben, hand extended, begins to pull Rey closer to him and the throne. Struggling, she realizes there is no way out, but she does not give up. She is brought face to face with Ben now, her feet unable to reach the ground. He does not speak, only brushes the stray tendrils of hair from her face. 

“B-Ben?” Rey manages to speak but Ben remains silent as he examines her. The silence is almost more frightening to Rey than Ben himself. In fact, being so close, she is unsure that this truly is Ben at all. His face wears like a mask, flat, unenthused, stone cold. She feels tears begin to well up in her eyes when finally, she hears him speak.

“What’s the matter Rey? You don’t recognize me?” He lets out a truly evil sound as Rey feels her feet hit the ground, followed by her knees, as lightning strikes once more.

When she looks up at the throne, she longer sees Ben. His face has been replaced by a real mask of black metal. The masked figure leans down from the seat to where Rey kneels on the ground. He extends his hand to her.

“Join me, Rey.” She examines the black leather of his gloved hand that is mere inches from her face. “I’m merely here to help you recognize your true potential.” Without warning the figure removes the helmet to reveal Ben, back to his angel like self, eyes honey colored once more. He kneels down to the floor where she is, his hand still extended. “I can help you Rey.” His words are soft and kind as they lock eyes. Rey feels a red fire building inside her. “Don’t be afraid, I feel it too. Let me show you the power of the Dark Side.” His eyes shift once more to the colors of a flame and Rey breaks their eye contact. 

She runs as quickly as she can, away from Ben and the throne, screaming for help. No one responds. She is alone in this dark place. She has nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide from Ben. No one is coming to save her. She closes her eyes and runs. Before she knows what has happened, she is in a free fall. Strange voices rush passed her ears and she can almost make out what they are saying before she hits the ground. The pain of her crash causes her to wake in a cold sweat, screaming in fear. 

Rey looks over at Kya, who is knocked out in her own bed, undisturbed by Rey’s recent scream. Rey looks around the room, unsure what she is searching for. Still frightened by her nightmare, she stumbles out of bed and into her shoes, making her way across the room and out the door into the cool night air. She looks up at the moon and feels a sense of comfort in the familiarity. Everything here is wonderful, but different. The moon feels the same tonight as it had so many nights on Jakku. For a moment Rey wonders why she thought of Jakku at all. She had not recalled her home planet in many months…

Rey finds her feet moving forward without her brain following. Her feet wander to a separate cluster of huts on the other side of the Temple. No light shines in any window she passes, except one. Her feet, or maybe her heart, takes her there. Before she is aware of what she has done, her knuckles have already hit the wooden door. She hears rustling movement from inside before the door slowly creaks open. A pair of honey eyes meet hers. _Ben_.

Still conflicted by the feelings from her dream, Rey has half a mind to turn around and run far away from him. Strangely, her feet stay still, standing frozen at the door of this 16-year-old boy. Tears grow in her eyes as she feels conflict within her soul, unsure if trusting Ben at this moment is the right move. Ben throws open the door and drops to his knees, wrapping his lanky arms around her small body. Rey lets out a large sob at the feel of his touch and she presses her face into his shoulder, tears soaking his tunic. They stay like that for what feels like an eternity. After months of distance, Rey feels whole. 

Slowly, Ben tries to break away but as he does, her little hands grip harder onto his night shirt. He pats the top of her head, being mindful not to mess up her signature buns. The motion causes her sobs to decrease as they transform gradually into sniffles. She rubs tears from her eyes as she looks up at Ben, who also appears misty eyed. The sight of him, soft and honey eyed, sends her into another small fit of tears as she wraps her arms around his neck. He slowly lifts her from the ground, wrapping his arms around her as he closes the door. 

He sits on a wooden chair next to his table of books and scrolls. His presence soothes her troubled mind as he gently strokes her back, calming her heavy sighs. He cradles her in his arms like the small child she is as he wonders what has shaken her soul so badly. Suddenly and without warning, Ben does something he swore he would never do. He reaches into Rey’s mind. He has to know what is causing her such pain. He sees everything. Her memories of Jakku, her parents leaving, Plutt’s mistreatment of her, how she had to learn to fend for herself so early. He sees the vision he had the first time they met on her home planet. He feels her emotions as she felt grass for the first time, held a lightsaber for the first time, ate a real meal for the first time. Everything is surface though. Ben dives deeper. He feels small corners of her mind that play in the dark, feed her anger and mistrust. He feels her lust for power and superiority among her classmates. Ben can feel her fear, her anger, her darkness. He knows it well because it lives in him too. He tries to absorb it through her skin, wishing to take her pain away. He knows what it is like to feel this way. He stops when he hears a familiar voice. 

_Young Skywalker_.

Ben tenses at the voice. Rey is still quietly sniffling in his arms, slowly drifting into sleep. It is unclear if the voice is coming from his own mind, or Rey’s. The thought worries him more than he would like to admit. 

_What have you discovered, my boy_?

Ben squeezes his eyes shut, blocking out the voice from both his and Rey’s mind. Rey grimaces slightly as her face presses against his chest. 

_You know I can take whatever I want_.

Ben focuses, the most he has ever focused before in his life, on forcing this voice from his mind. 

_That’s alright, I’m not going to hurt her. She will come to me when the time is right_. 

Ben’s eyes pop open at the words. _You’re not going to hurt her_ , he thinks strongly. The only response is a sharp laugh that echoes in his mind for the rest of the evening. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter took so long to post! I've been having awful writers block!  
> Let me know how you liked it! I love your feedback :)


	8. A Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They sit in silence for a moment and Ben tries to think of something to say. Words escape him. This tiny scavenger girl, who he has only known for a few months, has somehow sized him up completely, called him out on everything he is, and everything he fears to become.

After that night, Ben tried to ease up on his distance from Rey. He can sense her desperation to be near him when she is in turmoil and he makes sure that he is the one that is there when she is struggling the most. As the months go by, her nightly visits to Ben’s hut become more frequent, always starting the same way. Tears in her eyes, a frightened look on her face. Unsure of the best way to help her, Ben knows one thing. He has to protect her. 

_When the time is right, you will bring the girl to me_. A voice speaks to him through his dreams. _I will train you both_. 

Ben writhes in his sleep at the thought of Rey falling into the same darkness that runs through _his_ bloodline, not hers. 

_She will be safe_. _We will care for her, together. Shape her into what she is meant to be_.

Ben wakes with a scream. He glances around his hut. No one is there but him and lets out a deep sigh of relief. These days, the only comfort he finds is in his time spent with Rey. Though he still does his best to keep it brief, her energy stays with him long after she is gone. Ben has still not figured out exactly what the two of them are. He has read various books from the library, researched in all the databases available to him, and nothing. Not a single stitch of information on anything like the connection Ben feels to Rey. The constant reminder that he has no one here to confide in floods his thoughts daily. It boils his blood, makes him furious that he is stuck here in the first place. Luke has done nothing for him except treat him like every other student. But he is not every other student. He is Luke’s nephew, his sister’s son, who’s blood runs deep in the Dark Side. Luke _knows_ that. Not once has Luke said anything to Ben about his outburst of anger or demonstration of power. Ben assumes it is because his uncle would rather ignore the fact of bloodlines, considering legendary Luke Skywalker thinks everyone is good. He is wrong about Ben though. Ben is not good. Ben was not meant for this world of peace and meditation. He is passionate and impulsive. Ben thrives on those weaker around him. Ben feeds on the anger and fear of his fellow classmates. Ben knows who his family is. The Dark Side runs ramped through his ancestry. 

***

Rey continued to excel in her studies with Luke and the other instructors. She continues to be the best while continuing to work the least. Things come easily to her, as if she has already learned the skill before it has even been demonstrated. When Ben spares her the time, she fills it with performances of her growing power. She feels how impressed Ben is with her, more impressed than Luke. She can always sense the hesitation in Luke when he praises her quick learning ability and skillful mastery of new tasks. Ben does not hold back his emotions. He relishes in her power and skill, and Rey knows it. Ben appreciates her. Ben sees her potential.

“Ben watch this!”

Rey is balancing on one foot on an unsteady ruin while Ben sits below her on the ground, feverishly reading some dusty book that has pages falling out. He looks up from his book just in time to see her jump from the ruin, perform a swift somersault through the air above him, and land gracefully on her tiny feet. Ben raises his hands to clap but Rey cuts him off.

“Not done.” She says as her face shifts to a heavy focus. 

Extending her hand in Ben’s direction, he feels the Earth around him begin to shake. The ruin on which he was resting against begins to break from the ground. He quickly stands, moving to her side, and giving her space to work. She lifts the pillar off of the ground and Ben excepts her to place it back down in its rightful spot soon enough, however she surprises him. Instead, the pillar slowly drifts above them as her hand reaches for the sky. She turns slowly, bringing the ruin with her. Then suddenly, she whips the floating pillar against another that is secured into the ground. The stone shatters into sharp pieces and Rey looks up at Ben, innocently smiling. Ben’s mouth is agape. 

“How did you-” He shutters knowing she thrives on his loving praise. “That was most impressive Rey, who taught you that?” A gentle praise with an inquiry at the end for good measure. 

“The voices in my dreams showed me.” She says bluntly taking a seat and extending her hand as she begins to raise the pieces of the shattered ruin in front of her in attempts to fit them back together. 

The phrase sends Ben’s mind whirling. She has not mentioned the voices in months. Why now? He watches her as she strategically moves each broken piece of stone back into its rightful spot. First, she causes destruction, then she wants to mend it? Ben knows he would have left the stone in pieces, as a reminder of his power, but Rey…is choosing to fix it. There, he thinks, is where they differ most. As much raw strength that Rey possesses, she would never truly use it for harm, not the way Ben would. 

“It’s not working!” She shouts, pushing the broken pieces back against the ruin that still stands. The shattered parts go flying in every direction, including towards her. Ben senses the danger through The Force before it happens. Just as the sharp edges are about to pierce Rey’s skin, Ben has stopped them. The jagged stones move to point downward, and they drop quickly to the ground. Rey blinks looking up at Ben who is standing there slightly stunned. Rey looks sheepishly at the ground.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“Hey,” Ben kneels down to be at her eye level. “Nothing to be ashamed about. What you did was great.” She smiles softly at him as she moves a stray hair behind her ear. “There’s no reason to put the pieces back together.”

“But…I wanted to…I wanted to fix it.”

“Rey, there’s just some things that, once they’re broken, they can’t be fixed.” Ben feels the cracks in his own soul shift as he speaks. He refers to himself, although he is sure Rey does not catch the metaphor.

“You’re not too broken Ben. I can fix you too.” Her little hand raises to his cheek and they are transported to another time. 

Yellow daisies bloom across a field. Rey, maybe 25, lays among the flowers. Ben lays beside her, older as well. He turns his head to look at her, the sun shining in her hazel eyes. She turns and smiles at him as she rests her hand on his chest. Her touch is warm, it sends golden sun rays though his shirt and into his bloodstream. He looks back at the sky, the sun slowly growing darker, eclipsed by something unknown. He blinks and they are no longer among the daisies. 

They are somewhere cold and dark. Except it is not “they” because Ben now stands alone. He turns, searching the cold room for Rey, tries to reach out with The Force to feel her warmth. He feels nothing. Lightning strikes and Ben turns, only to be greeted by this older Rey once more. She is dressed in dark silky robes. A black leather belt with a double-bladed saber clipped to it. His vision pans up to her face; stone cold, emotionless, not like the young girl he knows now. 

“What’s the matter Ben? Afraid of a little fight?” She moves swiftly, igniting her duel blades to reveal a deep red and a dark hum. She twists the saber in her hands effortlessly and Ben is almost so enthralled by her power that he forgets what is real and what is not. She shifts closer, blade still in hand. Ben senses the danger and reaches at his side for a saber that is not there. Rey smirks at his sudden expression of fear as she trips him onto the ground. She is dripping with power and Ben almost wants to thank her for the fall. 

“It’s all thanks to you, Ben. You brought me here. Showed me my true self, who I was meant to be.”

The words ring in his ears as he is thrust back into reality. 

Rey’s hand is removed now and placed back at her side. Ben stares at Rey, the vision of her future self still clear in his mind. This small innocent child, destined for the Dark Side. Ben quickly shifts through his thoughts to come to a conclusion on what to do next. _Has this all gone too far? Should I tell Master Luke the things I have has seen?_ He had told Luke once, perhaps it was time to get his help. Ben knew he himself was a lost cause but Rey, her soul could still be salvaged. Ben knows, if the time ever comes, and he must make the choice, he would offer himself to the Darkness to save her. She is too young; she knows not of the power of the Dark Side. It would kill her, eat her alive. Ben would not let that happen. He has to protect her.

“I…I have to go.” Ben announces, standing quickly and running even more quickly out of the ruins, leaving Rey to stand alone once more. 

***

 _Ben always leaves quickly_ , Rey thinks. She wonders if it is something she has done. Perhaps she has been too forward. She only reaches to touch him because she can feel his pain, the same pain that lives deep inside her. She does her best to ignore the feeling, but Ben does not. Ben lives in pain and sadness. If she could just take _some_ of his suffering, then maybe he could be happy. She plops herself onto the ground, discouraged by her failed attempt to help Ben. She places her tiny hands into the dirt and grass around her and closes her eyes. She listens to the wind blowing through the open space. She hears waves in the distance. She feels the life of the planet beneath her. Her mind is peaceful. Until…

 _Rey_.

A deep voice hisses through the wind that brushes against her skin. The voice feels familiar, like those of her dreams. 

_My child, how have you found yourself so far from home?_

_Jakku was never home_ , she thinks in response the voice. 

_Of course not. Your true home is with me on Exeg-_

The voice is cut off by a rumbling sound of thunder. Her eyes pop open and she raises her head to the sky. The sun has begun to set and dark clouds are beginning to form above her as raindrops gently hit her skin. She lifts herself off the ground and hastens back toward the Temple. It is not an extremely far distance, but the rain begins to pick up quickly. Before she has even made it out of the ruins, it begins to pour. Rey runs faster, wiping the falling hair from her face, trying to see clearly through the rain. She sees lightening in the distance. She is no stranger to a storm but something about this one felt different. 

As she rounds a corner, the Temple is in sight, but before she can continue forward, she is greeted by two figures blocking her way. She raises her hand to deflect the rain. In front of her stand two tall masked red guards. They begin to step forward and Rey assesses her surroundings to try and find an escape. She could run back to the ruins, but she is unsure how far she will get. The figures wield large weapons, sharp weapons. _Of course_ , she thinks as she reaches to her side to unclip her own weapon. The guards begin to close in on her. She ignites her saber and raises it in defense as the green glow illuminates her face. 

“Stay back, or I will hurt you.” She states strongly, knowing she can _maybe_ hurt them. The figures hesitate a moment before continuing their approach. 

Rey twists the saber in her hand as she has been taught, hoping it may scare them away, it does not. One draws its’ own form of a saber and lunges forward at Rey. She blocks it swiftly as she anticipates their next move. She successfully blocks and spins deflecting each attempt they have on her life. The rain continues to fall heavily, the Temple barely in sight. Rey acts quickly, force pushing the guards back into the darkness as she makes a run for the Temple. She runs, saber still ignited. Her heart beats in her ears from the thrill and the fear of what she had just encountered. She does not look back, only continues racing forward until she hits a wall. The saber is thrown from her hand as she hits the ground. Staring up into the rain, vision blurred from the fall, she is sure this is it for her. She has been caught. She accepts her defeat, only until her vision begins to clear and she sees the wall she hit, was not a wall at all. 

_Ben_.

“Rey?” He looks down at her, his hair a wet mess as it sticks to his face, his robes drenched as well. “What are you running from? Why did you have your saber out?” He extends his hand down to help her up. Still woozy from her fall, she stands and balances herself.

“I was…there was…” Rey hesitates to tell Ben of what she has encountered in the dark.

“Spit it out please, we are standing in the rain.” He says impatiently.

“I was running from people! There’s people out there! With swords!”

Ben’s expression changes instantly from impatience to worry. His stance shifts as he grabs Rey’s arm and pulls her behind his body while simultaneously reaching for his own weapon. His blue saber ignites in the rain and the glow reflects in his eyes that are now filled with concern and anger. _He has to protect her_. He strains his vision to see through the rain, but nothing appears. Rey holds the sleeve of his robe tightly as she begins to realize the severity of what she just witnessed. 

“Rey, I need you to tell me everything you saw.” He says sternly not moving his eyes toward her. Rey recants her meeting with the two red guards, and she can feel Ben’s body tense up. She moves her grip from his sleeve to his hand thinking it may relax him. He begins to back away slowly from the open space and toward the Temple. “Listen, I’m not saying what happened wasn’t real, but I’m also not sensing anything…Rey…are you sure?”

“Yes I’m sure! Why would I lie about something like that!” She removes her hand from his in anger. “If you don’t believe me fine, I don’t need your help. I handled it myself anyway!” She begins to stomp away, the mud and grass squishing under her boots. Ben runs to meet her and swoops her up. Before she knows what has happened, he places her onto his back and grips around her knees to keep her from falling. Rey lets out a loud _humph_ in his ear. “I don’t like being carried.”

“I don’t care.” He says with annoyance as they reach the Temple. Lightning continues to strike, and Ben pulls Rey from his shoulders and places her feet onto the floor. “We should wait out the storm here. I’m not walking through an open field with all this lightning.”

“Why? Scared you’ll get struck because you’re so tall?” Rey teases, sticking her tongue out.

“You’re really annoying, you know that?” Ben rolls his eyes as he turns to open the door of the Temple.

“Yes.” She says simply as she pushes passed him. She moves to an empty seating area and falls into a cushioned circular seat. Ben follows and sits across from her. The Temple is quiet and most of the students have returned to their huts to shelter from the storm. An occasional padawan will shuffle by and exit into the rain with mumbles of displeasure for the storm. 

“You lost your saber.” Ben states.

Rey reaches down to her side and feels nothing. She had forgotten to retrieve it after her fall and before Ben pulled her back behind him. She throws her head back in frustration knowing that it is very possible she will not find the saber tomorrow once the storm has passed. A small thought grows in her mind that the guards may find it…she begins to worry.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we can find it tomorrow. I don’t think anyone will find it before then.” Ben sense her worry but was careful of his word choice, knowing not to offend her by his disbelief of these “guards” that attacked her. 

“I know you don’t believe me…about what happened.” She fiddles with the sleeve of her robe in her lap. 

“No, no. I do.” He insists, sensing her disappointment in him.

“I can feel that you don’t Ben, you’re not very good at hiding things from me.” She looks up and stares directly into his eyes now. Ben freezes. “I know when you’re sad. I know when you’re angry. I know you only say nice things to me to make me feel better….” Her voice trails almost as if she is waiting for a response, but Ben has none. She continues. “I know you think you’re a bad person…. I don’t think you’re a bad person Ben….I might be though.” She breaks their eye contact as she shifts uncomfortably in her seat. A student walks by, sighs at the rain, and exits. “I know you don’t want me to be like you…but I am.” 

They sit in silence for a moment and Ben tries to think of something to say. Words escape him. This tiny scavenger girl, who he has only known for a few months, has somehow sized him up completely, called him out on everything he is, and everything he fears to become. She rocks in her seat. Her eyes are locked on his hand that caps over his knee. Ben feels a warmth grow in his palm. It moves up his arm and through his veins. It warms his very soul and he feels her light fill his darkened heart. His expression shifts, his body becomes more relaxed. 

“How did you…” Ben looks at her in confusion.

“You’re a nice person Ben. Let me help you.” She stands and smiles softly at him. “Come on, I think the rain has stopped.” She extends her small hand to him. He accepts her gesture and rises from his seat. This little scavenger from Jakku, so tiny and full of hope. _He has to protect her_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!   
> Do you think Ben told Luke about his vision?  
> Let me know what you think! :)


	9. More Than The Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Why do you ask?”  
> “Well, sometimes I dream about you and I wanted to know if you dream about me.” She shrugs as she raises a tiny hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight.  
> Ben raises his eyes to the mix of blue sky and white clouds. “What do you dream about?” he asks, truly curious. She has never told him about this before and Ben wonders if these dreams are a new occurrence.  
> “Silly things really.”

Ben made his way out of the ruins as quickly as he could, the vision of this dark Rey still burning in his mind. The conflict within him continuing to grow with each step he took. Telling Luke _seems_ like the right thing to do. Ben grapples with his thoughts. Luke is kindhearted, believes there is good in all souls, but Ben worries this may be too much even for Luke. Will telling Luke put _this_ Rey, innocent sweet child Rey, in a position that could potentially be the turning point for her to become twisted by the Dark Side? Will Ben’s vision be the thing that changes Luke’s optimistic outlook? Ben can feel his uncle’s concern when he acts out, but they are _family_ , Luke has to believe in Ben’s light. Rey on the other hand, has no one. She has no family here to protect her. If this girl is destined for the Dark Side, so much so that Ben has seen it, solid and clear, will Luke choose to protect the girl as he does Ben, or is there a possibility he will cast her out to protect the other students?

As Ben nears the Temple doors, thunder rumbles. With his hand placed only inches away from the door, he looks back toward the direction of the ruins, then up towards the sky that grows darker with every passing second. A heavy sigh escapes his lips as he feels his soul pulling him in two separate directions. He knows he should tell Luke, but he also feels a visceral connection to protect Rey. It feels like if he told Luke, he would not only betray this child, but would also somehow feel as if he would be betraying himself. Ben knows that darkness that lives in him lives in this girl as well. Who is he to judge her ability to choose the Light over the Dark? Her decision has not been made, and Ben knows that. He can feel her soul at conflict with itself while he is in her presence. 

The sky grows ever darker; raindrops begin falling. Ben swiftly turns from the door of the Temple and takes off quickly into the pouring rain. _He has to protect her_. He has to balance her, as she balances him. No one is inherently Light or Dark. One cannot live without the other, it is impossible, immoral. Yes, she will be the Light in him and him the Dark in her. _Balance_. 

Suddenly, something small slams right into his body.

***

“Ben?” Rey looks up from her book. She is sitting cross legged and resting against a mossy pillar among the ruins. Ben is resting adjacent on the same pillar. He looks up from his own notebook that he had been scribbling into. “Do you ever dream about me?”

Ben places down his writing implement and closes his book. In the weeks that had passed since their meeting in the storm, Ben had experienced many dreams and nightmares of Rey. Since that night, the two had begun to spend more time together. Ben would teach her more advanced Jedi tricks and give a book suggestion or two, and Rey would dazzle him with her quick learning and ambitious attitude. In the weeks they have spent together, Ben had never felt more balanced within his soul. The voices in his mind had almost disappeared entirely, only showing up when he was most vulnerable. Fortunately, Rey was never too far when he needed her presence most, always strangely arriving at the perfect moment to his location in his time of need. It is almost as if she felt his struggle from wherever she was and knew how to fix him. This young girl had consumed his inner torment and brought him peace. She was his only peace. 

“Hello?” Rey speaks again, waving her hand in front of Ben’s eyes. Ben blinks a few times, lost in the memories of his past dreams of an older Rey. A Rey that loved him. A Rey that would hold his hand and kick his ass all at once.

He grabs her wrist gently to stop her obnoxious flailing. “Yes.” Ben answers simply. 

“Hmm.” Rey says removing her arm from his grip and placing her head back against the column to look up at the clouds.

“Why do you ask?” 

“Well, sometimes I dream about you and I wanted to know if you dream about me.” She shrugs as she raises a tiny hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight.

Ben raises his eyes to the mix of blue sky and white clouds. “What do you dream about?” he asks, truly curious. She has never told him about this before and Ben wonders if these dreams are a new occurrence. 

“Silly things really.” She states lowering her eyes to the grass and picking at a few stray clovers. “Except, in all of my dreams, we’re old.”

“I’m already old.” He turns his eyes back to herm laughing as he nudges her shoulder. She looks up wearing an unamused expression.

“You know what I mean, stupid.” She rolls her eyes. “Not _old_ , just _older_.”

“Hey, don’t call me stupid. I’m smarter than you and you know it.” Ben shakes his notebook at her. She rolls her eyes again as she raises her own book and hits his leg with it. “What exactly are older us doing in these dreams, hmm?”

Ben is not quite sure, but he thinks he sees Rey blush slightly under the rays of the sun. He knows not to push her, and even though it kills him to restrain himself from just invading her thoughts, he gives her mind the space it deserves. He sees her eyes glaze slightly as she is brought into a memory within herself. A small smile grows on her lips as she tilts her head toward his shoulder. 

“Just talking.” She finally speaks. “You’re happy in my dreams. You feel different. Lighter. Brighter…. I don’t know.” With her head resting on his shoulder she continues picking at the grass under the fingers. “Like you don’t hate everyone.”

“I don’t hate everyone.” Ben says flatly.

“Yes you do.” Her tone matches his as she sits back up and rests her head back on her side of the pillar. 

“No I don’t. I like Tai.” Ben counters as he turns his back from the pillar and faces her.

“Wow, one whole friend. I forgot.” Rey teases as she sticks her tongue out at him. The action reminds Ben that she is still a child, not the grown woman from his dark nightmares. 

“Hey, I thought we were friends!” He teases back, hitting her boot with his notebook. 

“Only in your dreams Ben Solo.” She throws her own book at him as she rises from the pillar.

Ben of course stops the book midair and floats it back into her hand. He often praises Rey for her success with The Force, but also makes sure to remind her on occasion that he is far more skilled than she. 

“I have a lesson with Master Luke. Enjoy your scribbling.” She rolls her eyes and stomps away with only the slightest annoyance in her steps. 

***

“I want you to focus on your surroundings.”

Luke’s serene voice echoes in Ben’s ears. With his lightsaber at the ready, Ben closes his eyes and focuses as he pulls the shield down over his face. He reaches out to feel his Force surroundings. He feels his own energy, rising into his chest. He feels Luke standing to his right with his own saber ignited. Ben can feel Luke’s movement as he shifts his weight from left to right. Ben knows he is only warming up. As he shifts to face his uncle, Luke moves swiftly to the left, Ben follows, only for Luke to then move to the right once more. Ben lets out a sigh of frustration. 

“Stay focused Ben.” 

Ben obeys.

He refocuses on the energy flowing through him. He sends the energy from his body to his saber, an extension of himself. Ben swiftly twists the saber in his hand and strikes. The hum of their blades clashing rattles through Ben’s hand and up his arm. The vibration ignites something in Ben, a fire. Ben’s skill with a saber has not gone unnoticed both by Luke and the other instructors. Luke knew early on that Ben was too advanced to spar with fellow classmates. Ben knows that Luke senses his lack of control when it comes to a saber duel. For Ben, tt is a primal feeling really, something he could not control even if he wanted to, and he does not want to. Ben knows his aggression with a lightsaber may be the very thing that saves his life one day, or even Rey’s life if he had to. 

With that one tiny thought of Rey, Ben’s focuses waivers. Luke knocks him down, kicking his own feet out from under him. Ben, lying flat on the ground, sits up and removes the shield. He looks his uncle in the eyes as Luke extends his arm to assist Ben from the floor. Ben ignores his gesture of kindness and rises from the floor on his own feeling both angry and slightly defeated.

“You lost focus.” Luke says calmly. He is always calm. Ben reignites his saber and gets back into his sparing stance. 

“It won’t happen again.” Ben says fiercely. 

“Care to tell me what it was that made your steps faulter?” Luke inquires, as he always does.

“No.”

“Ben.”

“No Master, I do not wish to discuss what caused me to get my ass handed to me by an old man.” Ben smirks, avoiding the true topic of conversation that Luke wants to have. Luke smiles back, unable to resist. 

“Oh it’s like that now? Let’s see if you can give this _old man_ a run for his money.” Luke takes his own stance as Ben removes the shield and tosses it to the side.

Their blades cross, the sound of their strikes ring through the empty circular room. Their duel feels more like a dance. Both equally powerful with The Force, they are able to anticipate each other’s next move, add in the fact that they have a private training session almost every day of the week, and the battle seems as if it could go on forever. Luke continues dodging Ben’s attacks, knowing that Ben’s movements are drawn from passion and urgency. Ben knows Luke’s dodging pattern well enough to know that if he swings right, Luke will dip and turn left, shifting behind Ben and knocking him down. Ben anticipates and blocks the attack from behind. 

“I can do this all-day kid.” Luke laughs as the green and blue colors combine inches from their faces. 

“I think you overestimate your stamina Master.” Ben breaks his saber free and swiftly spins, knocking his Master to the ground. He clips his saber to his belt and extends his arm. Luke reaches forward to grab Ben’s hand, but Ben quickly retracts his hand. “Just admit I’m a better fighter than you.” Ben smirks at his uncle on the floor.

“Only in your dreams kid. Don’t get cocky now.” Luke picks himself up off of the ground and pats his nephew’s shoulder. “We’re done for the day. That is, unless you’re ready to tell me what got you so distracted before.”

“Nope, I’m good. See you tomorrow.” Ben says sharply as he bends down for his bag on the floor. 

“ _Ben_.”

Ben turns to see his uncle wearing a too familiar expression. The one where he knows there is no escaping the conversation no matter how hard he tries. Ben readjusts the bag on his shoulder, feeling slightly uncomfortable under Luke’s gaze. Was this the moment he would tell Luke about his strange connection to Rey? Could he tell of their connection and just casually leave out the minor detail of her impending doom to fall to the Dark Side?

“I can sense something is wrong Ben, I know you.” Luke steps closer to Ben, his heavy expression lifting slightly. “You know if there is something going on you can talk to me, or any other instructor. If there is something you are going through, it is better to go through it with friends.”

“I thought the Jedi were people of solitude and disconnect.” Ben responds flatly as he shifts his weight. 

“That was the old Jedi Order, and even so, they had friends too.” Luke smiles at him and it makes Ben consider telling him the truth, but something catches the words in his throat. He coughs gently.

“I know.” He scrambles for some kind of excuse, I’ve just been reading the Jedi Texts lately and some of the information is,” He shifts his bag once more and runs his hand through his hair, “heavy.”

“Maybe take a break from all that reading kid, go have some fun. You’ve earned it.” Luke smiles and steps back, allowing Ben space to exit. 

Ben replays their conversation in his mind as he wanders back to his hut. The moon is rising in the sky and the stars are just beginning to appear overhead. He loves the stars; they remind him of home. They remind him of his family; his mother and father, and their short life together on Chandrilla. Ben recalls his boyhood dream of becoming a pilot like his father, before he was whisked away by his uncle to train as a Jedi, something Ben _never_ dreamed of becoming. He wonders how he ever found himself here. His feet stop moving and he stands in the open field to admire the stars. Ben recalls the first time his father let him pilot the _Falcon_. He was maybe 6 at the time, but no feeling will ever compare to what he felt that day. His mind quickly shifts to his visions of Rey and him, years from now, happy. He supposes perhaps those untapped feelings may someday rival that of his love for the stars. Ben wonders if maybe one day his future self will grow to love Rey more than the stars. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter took FOREVER to post! I hope you think it was worth the wait!  
> Hopefully the next chapter wont take me this long to post!  
> Leave a comment, let me know how you're liking the story! :) also follow me on twitter @anpara4 !!


	10. A Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “She excels in everything she does, she is top of her class, she can run circles around those other sorry excuses for younglings.” He tries to level his voice to sound unbiased; it doesn’t work. 
> 
> “Yes, I know,” Luke says rubbing his temples, “That’s the problem.”
> 
> “Problem? How could she be a problem? She’s just a kid!” He raises his voice slightly, his hands forming into tight fists over his kneecaps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO sorry for the long waited update! I've been super busy with school and finding time to write and edit myself AND get all my school assignments done can be difficult!   
> Hope this chapter finds you well!

“Blue milk…a blanket…a speeder…Ben these are easy.” Rey pouts staring up into the clouds. Her arms are crossed behind her head as she raises a hand to block the sun that has moved from behind a cloud. “My turn.”

Ben lays beside her within the crumbling walls of the ruins. After a few weeks of Rey centered dreams, Ben decided he would like to further test this bond that he and Rey have produced. Although as simple as reading minds can be for a Jedi, Ben begins the tests on the more basic side. He does not want her to become suspicious of what he is doing. Unfortunately, he knows Rey is smart, only getting smarter by the days she spends training, and he knows she will catch on soon to his little game of quizzes. 

“A bed…a field of flowers…the ocean…a roll,” He stops himself. Yes, he sees inside her mind. She is imagining a roll, a warm, freshly baked roll that smells like cinnamon and tastes sweet on his tongue. It makes him wonder…

“It was a warm roll.” She frowns at him as she sits up cross legged and stares at Ben who remains flat on the ground. 

“You didn’t let me finish.” He rolls his eyes at her, the taste of cinnamon still lingering in his mouth.

“Maybe you should have answered faster!” She teases as she stands from the ground. She adjusts her robes accordingly and checks her lightsaber hook. 

Ben watches as she methodically smooths her tunic. He observes her fiddling with her training saber, newly replaced since she had lost her original during the storm. His mind fills with memories of that night when he found her alone in the rain. The fear in her eyes that quickly shifted to anger. He still intermittently fears for her safety, but he always makes sure that he is never too far from her. 

Even when she is not around, he can feel her Force signature, and it fills his veins with warmth. He feels when she is tired and drained from a long day of training, in turn causing him to become slightly drowsy himself. He feels her fear, it wakes him in the night, knowing that her appearance at his hut is not too far behind. Most importantly, he can feel when she is angry. Her anger runs red hot and Ben can feel it burn his own skin, boil his own blood. He feels her rage, it fills his lungs, sends blood to his ears and he feels as if he himself is emitting a visible heat.

Ben, slowly getting lost in his own thoughts, almost misses what is about to happen in front of him. _Almost_. 

With little warning, Rey unclips the saber from her belt and ignites it directly toward Ben’s face. Ben, even in the haze of his thoughts, is still able to sense her anticipated movement. He quickly grabs his own saber from his side and ignites his in time with hers, swiftly blocking her attack. While still laying on the grass, he has disarmed her. Ben and Rey together watch her saber fly through the air above them, almost in slow motion. Ben rises from the ground to catch the saber, but just as it is about to land in his palm, it is pulled passed him. The saber places itself into Rey’s tiny hand. She smirks at him as she ignites the saber once more and takes an offensive stance. The expression does something to Ben. It twists at his insides for the briefest moment. Her display of power, paired with that dark smirk, it reminds him of his dreams…nightmares…visions? Ben is unsure what they truly are. He must be wearing a strained look because when she speaks again, he is quickly soothed by her pure voice. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She lowers her saber slightly and the hum rings in Ben’s ears. His own saber still ignited at his side, he decided it is best to let her question go unanswered.

“I didn’t say we were finished.” He smirks back, matching her previous energy as he takes his own defensive stance. Rey softly smiles at him momentarily before it quickly shifts back to her devious expression. She takes her stance, purple saber raised to reflect in her hazel eyes. 

“I’ll go easy on you.” She scoffs playfully as they slowly begin to circle one another like wolves about to attack.

“Really? Because I won’t.” And with that Ben lunges forward, hearing the hum of their clashing lightsabers. 

***

“Ben, hurry up.”

“I’m coming!” Ben groans. 

Another one of his uncle’s, well Master’s, recruitment trips. Tai had gone last week so Ben knew that he was next in the rotation of Padawans, but nevertheless, he still managed to be exceedingly annoyed by the entire thing. So many factors feed into his frustration: no one ever knows how long these trips will actually be, he will be completely and utterly stuck with Luke and only Luke for who knows how long, and worst of all, he is going to have to be away from Rey for just as long. The mere thought of leaving her here, alone, unprotected, and vulnerable tore at Ben’s soul constantly during the days leading up to his departure. He had considered asking Tai, who was there to help load the ship, to keep an eye out for Rey while he was gone, but he did not want to call attention to his…friendship, if that’s what you want to call it, with this very small but very powerful youngling. 

“Have a safe trip my friend,” Tai says patting Ben’s shoulder, “I know you don’t particularly enjoy these things, especially being alone with Master Skywalker,” Ben sighs lightly under Tai’s grip. “Just try and focus on what is right in front of you. Meditate on all the good things you bring to this world.”

Somehow Tai always knows what to say, it both irritates and soothes Ben all at once. “Tai, I-” Ben swallows trying to formulate the words in his mind. “Would you-”

“Look after that little youngling friend of yours? Of course.” He laughs and Ben wonders how Tai is always so joyful. “I won't let her get too scratched up while you're gone.” He picks up the last crate from the ground and passes it to Ben.

Ben slowly makes his way up the loading ramp toward the interior of Luke’s ship. He can hear his uncle mumbling jumbles of coordinates to himself in the cockpit. With the crate still in his arms, he turns back to see Tai standing below, waiting for their departure. Ben gives a small wave with his hand still holding the weight of the box. 

“May The Force be with you, my friend.” Tai says peacefully just before the engine begins to drown out all other noise in the surrounding area. Ben nods back, unable to bring himself to say the words out loud. 

The Force. If it is going to be with anyone on this stupid planet, it is most certainly not Ben. He presses the closure button and watches as the ramp swiftly shuts in his face, closing him off from the outside world. He drops the crate as gently as deemed necessary and makes his way toward the cockpit and his uncle. His perfect uncle, so strong with The Force; so trusting of The Force; so ready to steal children away from their families, by will of The Force. Ben rolls his eyes at the thought of it. The _will_ of The Force. It is not that Ben does not believe in the Jedi religion, he just does not like the lack of concrete evidence. He has spent years reading and studying the depths of Force knowledge of those who came before him. He’s read every book, studied every ancient scribble on every weather worn page, he is just unsure if he believes everything that happens, everything that has happened, everything that will happen, is something that can be controlled. 

Ben takes his seat next to his uncle, his thoughts wander as he absentmindedly prepares the ship for the ascent. He thinks perhaps there was a time that he might have believed in an all-powerful _thing_ that controlled all the moving parts of the galaxy. Maybe when he was young, very young, before his soul began to be tainted, before Luke, before Snoke. If The Force was some glorious energy that the Jedi possess, why then, would it be working in favor of his darker half. Why does he feel the Light Side of The Force pushes him further and further away with each passing day? 

“You ready, kid?” Luke’s voice breaks his train of thought.

“Huh? Oh yeah, sure.” Ben navigates off the ground and into the sky, watching as the Temple grows smaller and smaller. 

They soon break through the atmosphere and are greeted by a beautiful display of stars and Ben suddenly remembers why he goes on these trips at all. It’s not for Luke. It’s not for the younglings. It is for himself. Rarely does Ben get to pilot a ship. Even though his uncle must know how much he loves it, he never allows him to fly. He makes sure to keep Ben very busy with Jedi training. As if any of Luke’s classes can teach Ben something, some power he does not already possess. His superiority among his classmates is almost embarrassing really, but he could not tone it down even if he wanted to, and he does not. Ben enjoys the looks of fear exchanged in the sparing room when they are paired with him. He thrives on their nervousness and fidgety hands, uses it against them. Their loss is always inevitable, everyone knows it. 

As his thoughts drift into a more violent direction, he begins to sense Luke’s eyes on him. Luke can be very silently loud when he wants to. This is one of those times. As Ben gets up to excuse himself from the cockpit, he feels Luke’s hand grip around his forearm. Looking back into his uncle’s eyes, Ben is unsure what he sees. Fear, despair, concern? He falls back into his chair, preparing for whatever is about to spill out of Luke’s mouth.

“I’d like to talk about Rey.” _Okay not what he expected_.

Ben’s mind spins at the sound of her name. “What?”

“I’d like to talk about Rey.” Luke repeats. Ben hates it when he does that. Obviously he heard him the first time. 

Ben quickly gathers his thoughts to respond as nonchalantly as he can, “What about her? Afraid you made a mistake picking up a little scavenger from that wasteland?” 

“Yes.” Luke’s eyes are filled with something Ben is still unsure of. It is a look he has never seen his Master wear. How could he think Rey is a mistake? He saved her from that desert. _They_ saved her. Ben’s mind jumps to the worst possible conclusion and he begins to feel his blood boil under his skin. 

“What do you mean yes?” He grits through his teeth, trying to remain calm while images of Luke dropping Rey back onto a deserted sand dune flashes in his mind. “She excels in everything she does, she is top of her class, she can run circles around those other sorry excuses for younglings.” He tries to level his voice to sound unbiased; it doesn’t work. 

“Yes, I know,” Luke says rubbing his temples, “That’s the problem.”

“Problem? How could she be a problem? She’s just a kid!” He raises his voice slightly, his hands forming into tight fists over his kneecaps. He cannot help in this moment but to make the connection between Rey and himself. Excels in everything, top of their class, run circles around everyone else around them. Luke could not throw Ben away, but Rey, she is no one to him. She has no purpose in this story. 

“Hold on now,” Luke raises his hands in defense, as always, “I didn’t say _she_ was a problem. I like that kid a lot; she’s got a lot of fire. I’m just concerned it might be a little too much fire.”

“Too much fire? Do you even hear what you're saying right now?!” Ben accuses, fists getting so tight he may draw blood in his own palms.

“Come on Ben, are you really going to tell me you don’t see it?” Luke raises an eyebrow at Ben and his heart stops. Does Luke know about his strange and confounding connection with Rey? Did Rey tell him? Did Luke invade his mind one day while Ben had his guard down? His head spins with scenarios. “You’re really going to tell me you haven’t sensed her clouded mind? Seen her process of decision making? She does everything the quick and dirty way…I struggle to see her future…” his voice trails, his thought unfinished. 

Ben thinks. He thinks back on the first time he and Rey met, when she felt grass for the first time, their run in outside of the dining area, their frequent visits to the ruins, none of which Ben recalls sensing her mind as clouded. Sure, she acts out of passion more often than not, but so does Ben. Never once has Ben felt her mind was clouded. He turns the word over and over again in his head, jumbles the letters together, trying to make sense of what Luke means. Then it hits him, like an asteroid. 

“You think she’s going to fall to the Dark Side don’t you?” Outrage in his voice now as he stands up from his seat, towering over Luke who remains seated. “I mean how could you even say that? She’s just a child! A kid that _you_ took from an awful place! You _saved_ her and now you're just going to toss her aside become of a _feeling_??”

Luke stands now, waving his arms about in protest. “Whoa, whoa, no one said anything about tossing her away, Ben.”

“You didn’t have to say it, I can see it all over your face!” he shouts, pointing his finger at his uncle. For a brief moment Ben wonders if maybe he should not be letting his anger get the best of him. Perhaps he should be trying to hide his connection with Rey a little better, but it’s nearly impossible to do when Luke is threatening her. This child that he has grown so fond of. 

“Ben,” Luke reaches for his shoulder, but Ben shoves out of range of Luke’s hand. Ben makes his way to the doorway, but something stops him making him unable to exit. He feels frozen in time. He looks back at his uncle, the view of stars from outside as a backdrop. He reverts his vision back to the ground as he grapples with the words he is about to say.

“Let me help her.” Luke does not respond. Ben sighs deeply as he fidgets with the sleeve of his brown robes. “Let me help train her. I-” A beat passes. Ben contemplates the words in his mind, “I know what she is going through.”

“Hmm.” Ben hears Luke hum from across the cockpit, it makes him roll his eyes slightly. 

“Master,” Ben makes direct eye contact now, “You have trained me well. You have helped me navigate my feelings, taught me how to draw power from things other than my emotions. Uncle Luke,” Ben takes a deep step into the room, “You know the struggles of our family, you know the blood that runs through my veins _and_ yours. You know better than anyone that every person deserves a fighting chance.”

“And that is the lesson.” Luke says smiling slightly as he closes the space between himself and his nephew. Ben wears a look of confusion. “You're very quick to judge Ben, don’t think I haven’t noticed.” Ben chuckles slightly as he brushes a hand through his hair. “I know you and Rey have taken a liking to each other. You two possess very similar Force energies and abilities.” _Right again_ , Ben thinks. “I will give you one training day a week with her, _in the Temple_.” Luke smiles at him and Ben wonders if somehow his uncle had found out about their secret spot in the ruins. 

He shrugs the idea off, “That sounds fair.”

“It’s settled then.” Luke says as he turns back to the commands of the ship, leaving Ben standing self-consciously. 

_One day a week in the Temple_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter update!!   
> Feel free to leave comments, kudos, bookmarks! I love reading your feedback!   
> Give me a follow on twitter @anpara4 :)


	11. A Chill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben wakes in a state of panic, springing up from his bed so quickly that he hits his head on the ceiling of his tight sleeping quarters. His heart is pounding out of his chest, the blood beats against his eardrum. His breathing is jagged, and he is drenched in sweat. He turns to his right and is surprised to be greeted by Luke quietly sitting, watching him. 
> 
> “We’re going back.” Is all he says before he rises from his seat and returns to the cockpit. 

Rey watched as the ship lifted off from the ground. The longer she stood watching the ship grow smaller and smaller, the lonelier she felt. It felt as if the moment their ship left the atmosphere, a part of her soul was torn away with it. She wonders how long this feeling will last; how long Ben will be away from the planet, away from her.

“Hello little one,” Ben’s friend Tai spots Rey behind the rock she thought would hide her. “Not to worry, I don’t think Ben saw you.” He smiles knowingly, “I’m sure he would have liked if you said goodbye though.”

“I-” She goes to speak but realizes she is unsure what to respond. Why did she choose to hide instead of seeing Ben off on his trip? Was she afraid of Luke? Afraid of Ben growing tired of her? 

Tai just chuckles and reaches a hand down to help her off the ground, “Come little one, let’s have a chat.” He pulls her up as if she were weightless. His touch is unlike Ben’s, which is coarse and hastened. Tai moves like water flowing down a winding hillside. His words are soft, like she imagines clouds would feel, and his voice relaxes her like the sound of the rain hitting the roof of her hut at night. Rey wonders how Tai and Ben get along at all, they are so different. 

“How-”

“How long have I been here? Since I was 10, same as Ben.” He smiles down at her as he begins walking toward the Temple.

“How did you-”

“How did I know what you're going to ask?” He laughs as he stops walking and kneels down to Rey’s eye level, “You’re very much like Ben. More than you know, I think.” 

She looks into his blue eyes, another contrast from Ben’s honey colored eyes. He wears a look of…fear…shame…Rey is unsure. Before she realizes her own words, she blurts, “Do you think Ben is bad?”

A wave of confusion crashes over his face before a second wave of calm settles in his eyes. “If you're asking if you think you are bad, the answer is no.” He gently rests his hand on her tiny upper arm. “And Ben isn’t bad either, don’t worry. He just loses his way sometimes. Everyone does.” He gives a soft smile that soothes her halved soul. “Are you hungry?”

Rey smiles wide. The answer to that question is always _YES_. 

***

The sound of rain soothes Rey as she lays sleeplessly in bed. Across the hut, she turns to see Kya fast asleep, wrapped in about four different quilts. Rey curls into her own two quilts as she closes her eyes. She centers herself the way Luke has been teaching her and meditates to the sound of the rain methodically hitting her roof. She imagines being a raindrop; equal parts weighted and weightless. A raindrop can teeter on each side of the spectrum, heavy enough to fall from the sky, yet light enough to barely be felt on human skin. Shapeless, unable to be held for too long. A raindrop cannot be contained, for once it hits a surface it splatters in 1000 different directions. She drifts into sleep feeling equally weighted and weightless. 

A chill passes through her body unexpectedly. She hears distant screams and cries for help. She sees a Jakku village in flames. She tries to move, but her feet are cemented into the sand. Quickly assessing the scene around her, she sees a large ship, dark and ominous with a tall masked creature emerging from the exit ramp. He is flanked by Stormtrooper soldiers carrying large E-11 blaster rifles. Another cold chill sweeps through her body and she shivers despite the desert heat that surrounds her. She watches the masked man pan his vision over the frightened villagers carelessly, only stopping when his vision is greeted by Rey, her feet still immovable in the dunes of sand. He signals to the Troopers to fire on the village and the screams are deafening. Rey feels the pain of each villager as they die, causing her to fall to the ground in agony. She barely recognizes her own screams as she feels the soul splitting inside her. Hot tears are flowing from her eyes as she looks up from the ground to see the masked creature vigorously stalking her way.

Still continues to feel the pain of those around her through The Force, and she tries to rise from the sand but is unsuccessful. Suddenly her entire body feels frozen, not just her feet. There she lays, a crumbled mess of pain, anger, and fear. The masked man stands freakishly tall above her fragile body. When he speaks, his voice is altered by modulator of types, although her soul finds the tone slightly familiar. 

“The girl I’ve heard so much about.” The mask states flatly, staring down at her feeble body covered in sand and – blood? Her hands are covered in blood. _Where did this blood come from?_ She goes to wipe her face but is still immobile. Some quick processing and she realizes her tears were not tears at all…She tries to speak but is wordless. The masked man, who looms over her small body, slowly shrinks down to her level. Kneeling before her, he waves his hand, her body liberates, and Rey’s mind makes the smallest recognition of the hand movement; strangely recognizable. His release gives way to the resurgence of pain being felt by the last few dying villagers. She clutches her chest with one hand and pulls her hair with the other. The pain that surrounds her is unbearable. She has never felt death like this before. It is full bodied and all-consuming pain. Bloody tears begin to stream once more, and she screams in distress.

“Rey.”

The masked creature speaks her name. This time, it feels soft, gentler than before, incongruous

with the frightening disguise he wears. He extends his gloved hand and soothingly places it on the hand pulling at her scalp. The pain ceases and a wave of calm washes over her mind. Her eyes flutter softly, looking up at the mask through her tear stained eyes. She feels his hand over hers, closes her eyes for focus, and then it hits her a speeder bike that has lost control and hits a wall. Her already torn up soul crashes and shatters into a million new pieces. 

“ _Ben_.”

Her eyes snapped open, but she cannot see. She hears screaming but cannot determine the origin. She feels her body being shaken, feels her wrists being pulled, feels herself being taken from her warm bed, but she is still blind, unable to see. She feels the cold night air on her sweating skin, her loose hair wisping in the wind. She feels her body come to rest against a soft surface and feels gentle hands placed on her temples. She slowly grows into consciousness once more. The screams are ripping from _her_ throat. Her arms flail wildly as she tries to pry the hands from her face leaving scratches at her eyes and cheeks. She thrashes on the medbay bed underneath her as another pair of hands restrain her at her wrists and ankles. Her body grows still. Her vision hazily returns, and she is greeted by Jedi Masters Tionne Solusar and Octa Ramis. Master Tionne still has her hands gently gripping Rey’s temples. 

“Rey,” Her soft voice breaks through the deafening vibrations in her head, “Can you hear me?”

Rey opens her mouth to speak but her words are incoherent. The two Masters exchange a look of concern and Tionne presses her fingers deeper into Rey’s temples. She can feel her Master’s Force energy flow into her, penetrating her mind, healing her shattered thoughts. Her vision begins to clear up and her eyes flutter slowly as she scans the room around her. She sees Tai, a grave look of concern plastered on his face. Behind him stands Kya, appearing utterly mortified by the events that have just unfolded before her young eyes. Rey hears the conversations happening above her, but when she goes to speak again, the words come out garbled and unintelligible. 

“Should we send a message to Master Luke?” Tai says, his hand resting under his chin as he contemplates.

“He has barely been gone one days cycle.” Master Octa responds. 

“I should think he would like to know…” Master Tionne’s voice trails off as she moves her hands from Rey’s temples. 

“Is-is Rey going to be alright?” She hears Kya’s soft voice crack like tears are going to begin flowing at any moment. 

Master Octa turns to face Kya, kneeling down to her level, “Master Tionne is going to do the best she can Kya. She is trying to heal Rey’s troubled mind and bring her some peace.” 

Rey mumbles disjointedly again and Master Tionne grabs her hand for comfort. Her vision has come back clearly, she can fully comprehend the looks of fear and concern on each person’s face. How had she caused so much pain – and then it dawns on her – like the warmth of the sun rising over the trees. She recalls the nightmare, the pain, the death. Her body is weak, unable to react to the hurting in the way she previously had. Instead she squeezes Master Tionne’s hand tightly.

“It’s alright Rey,” She strokes her hair back with her free hand, “We are here.”

***

Ben has never been a good sleeper. He has been having night terrors for as long as he can remember. This night’s sleep is no different. As he drifts off into a light slumber on the ship that Luke pilots, the last coherent thought he has is about Rey. 

He opens his eyes to an obscured vision, like he is wearing some type of goggles – no a helmet. He feels the tight metal pressing against his skull. His body trudges forward off of an unknown ship. Beside him he is flanked by Stormtroopers. He senses their hatred and anger as they approach a dusty weather worn village. A sad excuse for a home really, Ben thinks as he assesses the scene as best he can through his helmet. Suddenly, words fall from Ben’s lips without his mind processing what he says. The Troopers open fire on the villagers. He feels the power of The Force vibrate around him as one by one the citizens fall to their death. Their screams feed an unquenchable thirst that sits in the back of his throat; a thirst that has always been there, but that he never dared indulge. 

One cry flies above the others. His heart stops. He knows this scream. _Rey?_ What is she doing here? He turns to see her small frail body falling to the ground writhing in pain. Her screams are Earth shattering, causing even this stone hearted version of Ben to question his intentions. He tries to walk calmly over to the screaming child, but this body of his only knows how to stalk menacingly. 

He sees fear arise in her eyes as he makes his way to her. The tears flowing from her eyes glow in the light of the burning village behind him. More words come from his mouth; but Ben cannot understand his own speech. His just notices that voice is altered by this helmet as well. He reaches out his own Force energy to Rey as she lies on the ground, paralyzed by his mind. Her frantic mind subsides briefly as he kneels down to her eye level. He barely waves his hand and her stiffened body is released. 

Another strong wave of screams ripple from her body – hands grasping at her chest and tangling in her own hair. A small quiet part of this Ben, hidden deep inside and protected by a thick Force shell, can hardly bare it. He reaches out to grasp her hand, as she has done to him so many times in the past. The small part of him breaks through the hardened walls that this twisted version of himself has put up for protection. He softens, only slightly, and takes on her pain as if it is his own. He feels the darkness in her screams. The other half of him, the Dark half, is feeding off of her sorrow. He feels his Force energy soak up her fear and agony. He feels the strength it gives him, and he likes it. He relishes in her suffering _and_ the suffering of the villagers. 

His better half tries to fight, his hand still gently placed on her shaking hand, a tangled mess in her hair. His Light side is winning. Rey’s eyes widen at the realization of who stands before her; then without warning, she is ripped from his grasp. Pulled out of reach into the thick desert air. 

***

Ben wakes in a state of panic, springing up from his bed so quickly that he hits his head on the ceiling of his tight sleeping quarters. His heart is pounding out of his chest, the blood beats against his eardrum. His breathing is jagged, and he is drenched in sweat. He turns to his right and is surprised to be greeted by Luke quietly sitting, watching him. 

“We’re going back.” Is all he says before he rises from his seat and returns to the cockpit. 

Ben feels the engines shift under him and a wave of relief paired with fear washes over his body. The echo of Rey’s screams still ring in his ears. He uses his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his brow, sweeping away the plastered strands of hair from his forehead. He needs to see her. He needs to hold her tiny hands in his. He needs to feel her Force presence. He needs to know she is alright. 

She needs him _right now_ as much as he needs her _every day_.

They cannot get home fast enough. 

***

A few hours have passed before Ben and Luke arrive back to The Temple. Ben, who was a nervous wreck the entire trip home, practically sprints off the ship and heads in the direction of the – well he is not entirely sure where his feet are taking him, but he knows it is wherever she is, he can feel her. Her Force signature feels weak and it makes him move faster. As his feet take him forward, he feels Luke send out through the Force. _Stay calm Ben, clear your mind_. Ben ignores the warning as he bursts through the Temple doors racing down the familiar hallway that newly feels endless. 

Flights of stairs take him up to the medical bay. Ben can feel Rey’s heartbeat. He can sense her pain and grief. He spots Tai standing outside the medbay doors. 

“Where is she? I need to see her!” Ben tries to compose himself, “I need to know she is alright.”

Tai stands his ground in front of the door, “Master Tionne is in the process of trying to heal her.”

“Heal her of what? Trying?!” Ben is panicking. His young mind, twisted by his own dark thoughts, worried that _he_ has somehow put her in some type of danger. With his nightmares recently growing worse, and the voices in his mind getting louder with each passing day, he had a bad feeling about leaving Rey behind. 

“Ben,” Tai speaks characteristically calmly, “Master Luke.” Tai’s eyes flicker behind Ben’s shoulder.

Luke wears a face of true composure as he greets the two teenagers. “Thank you for reaching us Tai. You did the right thing.” He places a hand gently on Tai’s shoulder as he shifts aside for Luke to walk through the locked door. “Keep an eye on my nephew please.” He states before disappearing into the medbay. 

Ben gets a quick glimpse inside before the doors shut. Rey’s small body curled up on a bed, her face grimacing while Master Tionne places a hand on Rey’s forehead. The sight of it all is enough to cut Ben’s soul in half. He stumbles backwards slamming against the wall opposite of Tai, and slowly sinks himself down to the floor. 

“She’s going to be alright Ben.” Tai seats himself cross legged next to Ben.

“You – you don’t know that.” Ben’s mind is racing a mile a minute. He drops his head into his hands as his mind reels. Flashes from his visions of an older, darker Rey, play on repeat on the inside of his eyelids. He tries to push them away, to quiet his mind, but it feels impossible to find peace knowing that Rey is hurting in the room across from him. He can sense the agony through her Force signature radiating from the room. It scorches his skin. 

“There is no emotion, there is peace.” 

“Tai please-”

“Meditate with me, Ben.” His eyes are closed, one hand rested on Ben’s shoulder. A calming sensation flows through Ben’s chest. He takes a deep breath.

***

_Come child_.

The first sensation Rey feels is cold. A slight breeze rushes over her skin. She shivers. 

Next comes her vision. Her eyes open to reveal a darkness that is dimly lit by the light of the moon shining through an opening in the ceiling. She waits for her eyes to adjust. 

Next; her hearing. Beginning first as small inaudible whispers before growing clearer. _Peace is a lie, there is only Passion_.

She tries to turn her head in the direction of the voice, but it comes from every direction, every corner of this dark amphitheater. It surrounds her. 

She turns once more in search of the voice and her vision clears. Something stands before her that was not there before. A spiked throne, the same one from her nightmares. This time, the seat is empty.

_Take your rightful place, My Child, as heir to the Throne of the Sith_.

The voice rings in her ears, amplified by her surroundings. 

“I – I don’t understand.” Her voice is small, and she wonders why she is even entertaining this voice, these feelings. 

_Your precious Solo cannot save you now_. 

“You’re wrong,” She raises her voice, the echo startles her but she continues, “Ben will always save me!” 

Anger rushes over her like a cold wave. Rey feels her fists tighten around nothing, her fingernails cutting into her palms. For a quick moment, she feels empty, nothing but a pit of rage and anger. All of her teachings, all of her lessons of peace and mindfulness thrown to the waste side. 

_Ben Solo is nothing but a useless pawn. He knows his place, as you will soon learn yours._

A beat. She lets the words digest in her mind. Ben, a pawn? Knows his place? Her place?

_My Child,_

The tone of the echoing voice has changed. It appears softer than before.

_If Solo is so important to you, he will join us. He knows what is good for him. He will be your protector. Wherever you go, he will come._

With this statement, warmth begins to grow in her chest. Her vision goes blurry and the voice speaking sounds like static in her ears. 

***

After what feels like hours of waiting, Ben is finally allowed into the room. The sun is beginning to rise outside the window, lighting the room up with beautiful shadows of a golden haze. He has not slept, but it doesn’t matter. All that matters is being near her. 

The Masters have migrated to a mediation room down the hallway. Ben could sense their frustration and worries as they passed by him in the hallway. He can still sense their confusion as they mediate on the events of the past few hours, trying to find a cause, locate a solution of some type. 

Tai has chosen to remain in the hallway for the time being, to allow Ben some personal space, which is much appreciated at the given moment. Knowing Tai is near calms Ben as he makes his way to the medical bed where Rey lies sleeping. He takes a few minutes to examine the scene in front of him. Rey, with her hands in tight fists at her face, legs pulled into her chest, a look like a mix between peace and pain on her face. Ben wishes nothing more than to reach into her mind, see all the things that are hurting her, find out what has caused her such pain and find a solution, but he knows better. He also knows that the Masters have probably already tried that to no prevail. 

Instead he sits. Still a young and awkward boy, unfamiliar with the comfort of physical touch, Ben finds it difficult to figure out what to do with his hands. First they sit in fits at his knees, then fists in his lap, then one in his lap and one on the edge of Rey’s medical stretcher. His significantly larger fist next to her small one would appear comical in any other situation but this.

Ben takes a cleansing breath, opens his chest, relaxes his shoulders, and releases the tension in his hands. Without thinking, Ben opens his eyes to find his own hand has clasped itself over Rey’s small fist, his thumb softly stroking her skin. Although he is confused by this gentle touch, one that he feels he has never experienced himself, it feels strange; like muscle memory. He closes his eyes, calms his mind, and tries to send a warm Force energy toward Rey.

She shifts in her sleep and to Ben’s desire, her tiny fist that rests against her face unclenches under his palm, her hand now resting flat under his.

For a quiet moment they just be. Ben listens to her breathing and syncs up his own breaths with hers. He lets a few minutes pass, letting the sound of their matching breath bring a strange sense of serenity. He can feel her skin vibrate under his as their Force signatures intertwine. 

Ben closes his eyes, focusing his Force energy, concurring up any and every beautiful image he has ever encountered; the calm Chandrillan sea that Ben grew up swimming in, the forest of Endor where his parents ended the war against the Empire, a field sprinkled with white and yellow daisies.

A soft smile spreads across her face. Her tiny eyes flutter open, filled with sleep. 

“Ben.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN UPDATE AT LAST!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I promise it won't turn too dark!
> 
> Also, I am feeling a time jump soon, anyone else? 
> 
> Leave some feedback if you'd like! :)


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